In Tuapse, court rejects ecologist Suren Gazaryan's self-defence

In Tuapse, on the case against ecologists Suren Gazaryan and Evgeny Vitishko, accused of damaging a fence around the so-called summer cottage of Alexander Tkachov, Governor of the Krasnodar Territory, the court dismissed the Suren Gazaryan's motion to challenge lawyer Oleg Kochubin and to conduct self-defence. Besides, the judge dismissed the ecologist's motion to challenge the composition of the court. At present, the court session pronounced a break till 2:00 p.m.

Let us remind you that today, none of the lawyers of Suren Gazaryan managed to come to the trial, and the ecologist asked the court to postpone the court session; however, the court appointed him a duty lawyer. Suren Gazaryan claimed the challenge to the appointed lawyer, arguing that by differences in the line of defence, and filed a motion to postpone the court session. The public prosecutor demanded to continue further consideration of the case, treating postponements of the court sessions as intentional delaying of the trial.

Suren Gazaryan also filed motions to conduct self-defence and video filming.

The public prosecutors asked to dismiss all the motions.

The court took the prosecutor's side and refused.

After that, Suren Gazaryan filed a motion to challenge the composition of the court.

The judge also dismissed that motion of the ecologist.

Suren Gazaryan himself has told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent he believes that the challenge of the judge is justified. "The judge has forbidden conducting video filming of the trial; besides, earlier, she dismissed our claim for the demolition of the fence. That is, earlier, the judge pronounced decisions relating to this issue," the ecologist has emphasized.