Capital of Kabardino-Balkaria commemorates Arthur Zokaev

On May 15 in Nalchik, at the Memorial to Balkars-Victims of Repressions, a rally was held in memory of Arthur Zokaev, head of the administration of the village of Khasanya. The event was attended by about 200 persons - residents of Balkar dwelling settlements and Zokaev's friends and relatives.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Arthur Zokaev was killed by unidentified persons at night of May 15, 2005, in the yard of his house in the village of Khasanya in Kabardino-Balkaria. Arthur Zokaev stood for preservation of the status of settlements Khasanya and Belaya Rechka as municipal formations. Under the law earlier adopted by the Parliament of the Republic "On Status and Borders of Municipal Formations in Kabardino-Balkaria", they became micro-districts of the city of Nalchik. Mr Zokaev's murder sharply aggravated the situation in Kabardino-Balkaria.

The speakers at the rally said that six years had elapsed, but the murder of Arthur Zokaev was never solved, his killers were not established and punished. So far, no measures have been taken to commemorate him. The monument, which was established to Arthur Zokaev in Khasanya, was subsequently dismantled (according to the authorities, because of an incorrect inscription on it). The monument looked like a green rock, hewn from one side only. The inscription read: "To Arthur Zokaev, who perished from hands of bandits while defending the law and the Constitution of the Russian Federation."

"Arthur Zokaev stood for fulfilment of the Federal Law No. 131. On that night, when he was killed, he had prepared and signed documents for forwarding to the Supreme Court. They concerned the non-fulfilment of that law," said Ruslan Babaev, one of the leaders of the Board of Elders of the Balkar People (BEBP).

The rally adopted a resolution to set up the Development Fund of Balkaria at the BEBP named after Arthur Zokaev.