18:18, 15 November 2016

Arrest of human rights defender Nagavkin extended by two months

A pre-trial prison. Photo http://bloknot-volgograd.ru/news/sotrudnika-sizo-i-ego-podrugu-zaderzhali-v-volgogr-699886

The Tsentralny District Court of Volgograd has extended the arrest of Igor Nagavkin, the head of the regional branch of the "For Human Rights" movement, until January 16, 2017.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 2, Igor Nagavkin was arrested on suspicion of an attempt to steal a police car tire. The rights defender refuses to plead guilty. On October 12-21, he was on hunger strike in protest against the absence of skilled medical care he needed.

"During the inquiry, Igor will spend other two months in jail," said the advocate Yuri Bengardt.

The defence has objected to the extension of the arrest, requested by investigator Dmitry Filatov, and declared unsubstantiated allegations that Nagavkin could abscond from the inquiry or engage in criminal activities if staying at large.

Besides, the advocate has drawn the court's attention to the fact that the investigator had mistakenly indicated up to five years in prison as the maximum prison term for Nagavkin, while the maximum term under the respective article may not exceed 3.5 years.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.

Author: Tatyana Filimonova

Source: CK correspondent