Dagestan: journalists have last statement at "Chernovik" trial

The Lenin Federal Court of Makhachkala held another session on the case of journalists from the newspaper "Chernovik" accused of "inciting extremism" and "kindling hatred" to law enforcement bodies. In their last statement the journalists refused to plead guilty. The sentence will be announced on May 19.

Today, the defendants in this case - editor-in-chief Nadira Isaeva, lawyer of the edition Biyakai Magomedov and journalists Magomed Magomedov, Arthur Mamaev and Timur Mustafaev - were given floor for their last statements.

The lawyer Biyakai Magomedov said that not a single argument of the prosecution was proved in the materials of the case. "I'll go on publishing articles on corruption; as a journalist I'm obliged to make public every piece of information on violations of the law, whoever commits them. At the same time, I want to say that neither I no the journalists have any preconceived attitude toward policemen, prosecutors and other law enforcers," said Biyakai Magomedov.

He asked to acquit him and his colleagues, because of absence of any criminal events in their actions. He cited the absence of the state prosecutor at the court session as another argument in favour of journalists' innocence.

The other newspaper journalists - Nadira Isaeva, Magomed Magomedov, Arthur Mamaev and Timur Mustafaev - also refused to plead guilty

Judge Sharapudin Gadjiev announced that the verdict on the "Chernovik" case will be read out at 5 p.m. on May 19.