08:00, 2 July 2009

Ingushetia: defendants in "Case of Twelve" dissatisfied with withdrawal of jurymen from litigation

Ingushetia, Nazran. Photo by www.flickr.com/photos/milkee

In Nazran, the figurants in the so-called "Case of Twelve" have expressed their discontent with cancellation by M. V. Zadvornov, Chairman of the Supreme Court of Ingushetia, consideration of their case with participation of jurymen; they announced a hunger strike, which was then suspended.

The defendants believe that this decision deprives them of the last hope for fair justice and announced a termless hunger strike. In their appeal, the defendants ask not to admit "lawless arbitrariness" against their rights and freedoms.

On June 22, Liudmila Alekseeva, Chair of the Moscow Helsinki Group, had a meeting at the Temporary Isolation Facility (known as IVS) at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of the Republic of Ingushetia with six defendants (others had been convoyed to the SIZO of Pyatigorsk on the eve of the meeting). Ms Alekseeva promised to consider their complaints against the decision of the Supreme Court of Ingushetia and render assistance in defending their rights. On that very day, the defendants suspended their hunger strike.