Released defendant in Nalchik attack case is not allowed to contact journalists

Kazbek Budtuev, a defendant in the Nalchik attack case, whose custody was replaced today by home arrest, can communicate only with his mother and advocate. The court ruling especially emphasizes that Kazbek Budtuev has no right to communicate with journalists and make statements.

Let us remind you that on May 25 at the trial on the events on October 13, 2005, advocate Magomed Abubakarov petitioned in favour of changing the earlier established order of the judicial investigation and interrogate defendant Kazbek Budtuev. According to the advocate, Budtuev's participation in attacking militiamen was not proved by the inquiry. The defendant said that he had been tortured with the aim to force him to confess.

Now, Budtuev shall stay at home; he has no right to get outside his yard, except for those days, when he should attend judicial sessions.

Advocate Liza Shak, now representing Budtuev's interests, believes his release to be "a triumph of justice." "The today's ruling of the court was an absolute surprise for me and my client," said Liza Shak to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

In the opinion of some other participants of the process and defendants' relatives, this fact gives hope that the court will objectively assess the guilt of the rest of 57 defendants.

For them, the court has expended custody by three months more on the same grounds as before.