Defendant in "Urvan Jamaat" case challenges his advocate

Alim Bitokhov, a defendant in the case on the so-called "Urvan Jamaat", challenged his lawyer Eduard Samoilov because of his disagreement with the latter's defence tactics. The panel of judges of the North Caucasian District Military Court dismissed the defendant's motion, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports from the courtroom.

"I want to dismiss my lawyer," said Alim Bitokhov. However, when the judge asked, the defendant failed to lay any specific claim to Eduard Samoilov. "We cannot find the 'common language'. Our positions on this criminal case differ. He does not understand the articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation," said Bitokhov.

Lawyer Samoilov stressed, responding to his client's motion, that it was his client's right. "Earlier, Bitokhov said that I had failed to visit him in SIZO (pre-trial prison); although I was there to visit him just yesterday. His motion is his right," said the lawyer on the situation.

The other seven defendants' lawyers did not object to Bitokhov's motion, leaving the decision to the discretion of the court. The public prosecutor, failing to hear any specific claims from Bitokhov to his advocate, also left the decision to the court. The defendants unanimously supported their "colleague".

Another on duty lawyer was assigned to Bitokhov; at the same time, lawyer Samoilov was not removed from the case.