Victims of gas explosion in Vladikavkaz ask not to punish the defendant

The victims of the explosion of a gas cylinder at the wedding party in Vladikavkaz on June 25, 2011, ask not to punish the defendant Vadim Vazagov.

Today, the court has held oral hearing of the parties' debates; and the session at the Sovietskiy Court of Vladikavkaz was attended by relatives, victims and friends of the defendant. The victims asked not to punish the culprit.

In particular, one of the victims Mira Baeva believes that the case should not have brought to the court, because what has happened and the fact that people suffered is a sort of a trial by itself.

"Nobody is safeguarded against anything. I believe that the one who had filled in the gas cylinders is guilty – if they should have been checked properly, there would have been no tragedy. If Vadim Vazagov is acquitted, it'll be right," she said.

"The worst punishment for my client is the memory about this terrible tragedy and an endless sense of guilt for the rest of life. Along with relatives, neighbours, acquaintances, his small children were injured. He took very closely the pain of each family; and from the moment of the incident he was close to the victims," Irina Khabieva, Vazagov's advocate, said in her speech.

The defendant has fully admitted his guilt; therefore the defence asks the court to appoint the minimum punishment that is not associated with deprivation of liberty. In his last plea, Vadim Vazagov apologized to all those affected.