In Vladikavkaz, court returns case of journalist Maria Plieva to retrial

The case against the journalist Maria Plieva should be directed to a new trial at the magistrate court. This decision was made today at the session of the Lenin District Court of Vladikavkaz.

Let us remind you that on December 4, the case against the journalist Maria Plieva, who had been detained on December 3 in Vladikavkaz, was closed "for lack of administrative violation." Such a verdict was pronounced by Magistrate Alan Dzantsolov. The prosecutor's office of the Iriston District in Vladikavkaz challenged the decision of the Magistrate and sent a complaint to the Lenin District Court.

The representative of the prosecutor's office, who was present at today's court session, stated that "the first instance court failed to assess the evidence presented in the case reports of the officers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the participants of the incident."

Three police officers summoned as witnesses argued at the court session that "Maria Plieva insulted their colleague Eduard Kodzoev with swears." Senior Investigator Eduard Kodzoev, who, according to the police, was the victim of the journalist's disorderly conduct, did not come to the court session.

Maria Plieva herself said that she had not seen anyone of the police officers, who were present at today's court session, in the square on December 3.

However, finally, Judge Zaurbek Tsagolov partially granted the complaint of the prosecutor's office and returned the case to the new consideration at the magistrate court, the "Ekho Kavkaza" (Echo of the Caucasus) reports.