Oleg Orlov accused of slandering Kadyrov completely acquitted

Today, the Khamovniki Court of Moscow has announced the verdict on the nine-month-long litigation, in which Oleg Orlov, Chairman of the Board of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", was accused of slandering the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov.

By decision of Judge Karina Morozova, Oleg Orlov was fully acquitted; the charge of slander completely lifted.

By passing an acquittal on the slander case against the head of Chechnya, the Khamovniki Court of Moscow has defended the rights of Russian citizens to the freedom of expression of opinion, which is protected by the Constitution, said Oleg Orlov after the court session.

Andrei Krasnenkov, who represented the head of Chechnya at the trial against the head of the HRC "Memorial" Oleg Orlov, said that he would appeal against the verdict.

The start of sentencing had been scheduled for 4:30 p.m. in the courtroom of the Khamovniki Court of Moscow. Long before the start, the room was full of workers of Russian and foreign media and human rights activists, who came to support Oleg Orlov. By the start of the session, Oleg Orlov and his lawyer Genry Reznik could make their way into the room with great difficulty.

Part of the courtroom was occupied by natives from Northern Caucasus of strong body-build, who refused to let media people in. These guys, according to the journalists present at the trial, came to support Andrei Krasnenkov, the advocate of the head of Chechnya.