In Rostov-on-Don, relatives and lawyers of defendants in case of terrorism assert their innocence

Today, at the trial on case against three defendants accused of terrorism two witnesses - Nikolai Fedorenko, Assistant Officer on duty of the Lenin OVD (Interior Division) of Rostov-on-Don, and Alexei Bocharov, the operating investigator of the Lenin OVD of Rostov-on-Don. Before court session, relatives and lawyers of the defendants asserted their innocence.

Let us remind you that on April 23, 2010, in Rostov-on-Don an improvised explosive device (IED) was discovered and defused. The IED used nails as damaging elements. On April 30, 2010, three suspects were detained. The Rostov-on-Don residents - the 31-year-old Dmitry Fedorushkin, the 22-year-old Alexander Svetlitsky and the 29-year-old Pavel Efremov - are accused of illegal transportation of explosives and of attempt to commit a terror act.

"When Alexander Svetlitsky was detained, he studied at the 4th year of the Rostov State Economic University. He was a diligent student, he did not work - all the time he devoted to study in the university," reported the lawyer Olga Filatova to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to her, her client needs an urgent surgery. "At school, Alexander was engaged in fencing. In the course of one of his training, his eye was hurt, before his arrest he was to undergo a medical examination; however, the trial made it impossible. At present, one of his eyes sees practically nothing," continued the lawyer.

"Actually, my client had never been involved in anything illegal, he had a normal student life," concluded Olga Filatova.

According to the grandmother of the defendant Pavel Efremov, her grandson is a sincere and caring person. "Ever since Pasha has been under investigation, all neighbours keep asking about him. All people are concerned, since Pasha's a good boy. He had never refused to anyone - he is too kind," says the grandmother of Pavel Efremov.

The younger brother of Pavel Efremov also emphasizes that his brother has many friends and that he could never refuse to anyone. "My mother was bringing us up alone. We do not drink and we are no drug addicts - today it is a big exception," the defendant's younger brother continued the story about Pavel Efremov.

According to him, since the age of 14, Pavel loved football. "He went to different cities to watch football matches; he has many friends among football fans. Thus he became acquainted with the other defendants. However, he was never involved in anything radical or extremist. He's still a young man, he's not married, he has his entire life in front of him - he understood all that and he would never commit a crime of which he is accused now," says the young man.

He told me that Pavel Efremov was detained 1.5 years ago. "He went to a store to buy products for the May Day holiday, and he was detained. For eighteen months he is in custody. He hopes for the best," concluded the defendant's brother.

Relatives of the accused Dmitry Fedorushkin refused to talk to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "Earlier, journalists with cameras came to the court sessions and reported that the defendants organized a criminal gang and that they were plotting a crime long ago. All this is not true. And accusations against Dmitry are false," said a woman with great bitterness in her voice.