KCR residents demand to transfer Shebzukhov and Zhukov murder cases to federal centre

On February 9, residents of the aul of Inzhichishkho made an appeal to the nations of the Karachay-Cherkessian Republic (KCR), Coordination Board of National Associations of Karachay-Cherkessia, and Circassian public organizations of North-Caucasian republics with notification about the rally, where they want to demand from the leadership of the republic and NCFD to investigate the murders of Aslan Zhukov, one of the leaders of Circassian youth, and Fral Shebzukhov, an adviser of the KCR President.

March 14, 2011, is one year after the killing of Aslan Zhukov and 10 months after the killing of Fral Shebzukhov, says the appeal of Inzhichishkho villagers, where Zhukov was born. The authors of the appeal report that on March 12 or 13 they plan to hold a rally in memory of Aslan Zhukov and Fral Shebzukhov at the government building of the KCR.

"One year should be enough to solve these crimes. Unfortunately, today we have to state that the investigation has not advanced a single step forward. We want to demand from the leaders of the republic and NCFD to take immediate actions towards investigating these crimes. If they cannot or, which is even worse, do not want, for the reasons unknown to us, we demand to transfer these murder cases to the federal centre," says the appeal signed by 242 residents of Inzhichishkho.

Rauf Meremukov, one of the authors of the appeal and organizers of the upcoming rally, a resident of Inzhichishkho, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that representatives of Circassian youth had met twice with the Minister of Internal Affairs of the republic with the aim to clarify the progress of investigation into these murders.

"We hear one and the same answer: 'We're investigating these cases.' Over the whole year we heard nothing about the investigation. It is obvious that someone puts pressure on law enforcers," said Rauf Meremukov.

Mohamed Cherkesov, chairman of the public movement of Circassians "Adyge Khasse" of Karachay-Cherkessia, has noted that both law enforcers and the leadership of the KCR believe that the murders of Shebzukhov and Zhukov were political.

Timur Zhuzhuev, chairman of the Youth Public Movement of Circassians "Adyge Khasse" told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that all Circassian organizations support the initiative of the Inzhichishkho villagers to hold a rally in memory of Aslan Zhukov and Fral Shebzukhov in front of the government of the KCR.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent addressed Arsen Ezaov, head of the division for investigation of especially resonant cases of the Investigatory Department for the KCR of the Investigatory Committee of Russia, with a request to inform about the investigation of the murders of Zhukov and Shebzukhov. "The work on these cases is conducted in the most thorough way. We are doing everything possible to solve these crimes. We can't disclose any results until all the necessary investigatory procedures are over," said Arsen Ezaov.