Leader of "Memorial" is satisfied with the course and outcome of the trial "Kadyrov vs. Orlov"

The parties in the litigation "Kadyrov vs. Orlov" differ in assessing the outcome of the trial. The defendant and his representatives are satisfied with the decision of the court, while the claimant has not yet decided whether to appeal against the verdict or not.

Let us remind you that today Judge Andrei Lutov from the Khamovniki Court of Moscow has decided to stop the criminal case against Oleg Orlov, Chairman of the Board of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", because the slander article, under which the proceedings had been initiated, was decriminalized.

At the session on January 20, while announcing his decision, Judge Lutov noted that the acquittal passed by Judge Morozova is subject to cancellation, and the case - to termination "for absence of corpus delicti in Orlov's actions." The decision may be appealed against at the Moscow City Court within 10 days.

The session started with a delay, as Orlov's advocate Genry Reznik got bogged down in Moscow traffic jams. The session was attended by plenty of journalists and a human rights defender, a journalist and a member of the Federal Political Council of the "Solidarity" Movement Alexander Podrabinek.

Irina Vasilieva, who represented the Prosecutor's Office of the Central Administrative District and who received the first floor to speak, expressed no objections regarding the termination of the criminal case against Orlov. In his turn, Andrei Krasnenkov, Ramzan Kadyrov's lawyer, insisted that the case should continue to be considered on the merits.

In response, Genry Reznik, Oleg Orlov's advocate, noted that "the prosecution has no legal right to insist on continuation of the criminal proceedings." He also said that his "client needs no rehabilitation, because he was satisfied with Judge Morozova's acquittal." His words were confirmed by Oleg Orlov.

Later Oleg Orlov said that he was satisfied with the outcome of the trial. "I am satisfied not only with the decision of the court, but with the whole process - they way we've conducted it. I'm certainly satisfied with the decision of Judge Morozova, who passed the acquittal. We managed to clearly and distinctly formulate our position. Also, we could raise the issue of human rights in the Chechen Republic; that the republic is overwhelmed with the atmosphere of lawlessness and impunity; and that being a human rights activist in Chechnya is extremely dangerous. All this was proved my evidences and those of our witnesses," said the human rights defender.

Ramzan Kadyrov's lawyer Andrei Krasnenkov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that he had not yet decided whether to appeal against the decision. He was planning to "contact Grozny, and then decide."

"We have very strong evidences, serious additional witnesses who could tell a lot of interesting things," said the lawyer.