Martin Kochesoko sentenced to probation
In Kabardino-Balkaria, a court sentenced Circassian activist Martin Kochesoko to three years of imprisonment.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in a case against Martin Kochesoko, a public prosecutor requested the court to sentence the defendant to four years of suspended imprisonment. The defence requested the court to acquit the activist. During the pleadings in court, the defender noted that people dependent on law enforcers were invited as witnesses during the detention of Martin Kochesoko and that secret witnesses appeared to be unable to clarify the circumstances of the case in court. In his final speech, Martin Kochesoko himself denied accusations of illicit drug trafficking and called his public activities the reason for the criminal proceedings against him.
Martin Kochesoko, the head of the "Khabze" public organization and a co-chairman of the Democratic Congress of the Russian Nations, was detained on June 7, 2019. At first he pleaded guilty, but later rejected his testimonies; he insists that the drugs were planted on him.
Today, the Urvan Court in Kabardino-Balkaria has pronounced the verdict to Martin Kochesoko. The activist has been found guilty and sentenced to three years of suspended imprisonment with a probationary period of one year, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports from the courtroom.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 2, 2021 at 07:38 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Source: CK correspondent