In Stavropol Territory, trial on "Merekha's case" to be held behind closed doors

Today, the Predgorny District Court of the Stavropol Territory held a preliminary session on the criminal case against the former district police inspectors Sergey Petrov, Nikolai Kryazhov, Vadim Akhmedov, and Alexei Golovachev, accused of beating Vyacheslav Merekha, a local resident. The case will be considered behind closed doors. This was reported by the court office.

"In accordance with the law, the preliminary court hearings were held behind closed doors. Besides, according to the decision, made by the judge, further court hearings will also be held behind closed doors," said a representative of the court. He has added that the case is being considered by Judge Nina Turlaeva.

Marina Dubrovina, the lawyer of the "Public Verdict" Foundation, who represents at the trial the interests of the victim Vyacheslav Merekha, intends to challenge the Judge's decision on the consideration of the case behind closed doors.

According to her, in that case, the disclosure of any details on the case will inflict no harm to the victim, and the publicity of the trial is directly related to the fair consideration of the criminal case against the police officers of the local OVD (Interior Division). According to Marina Dubrovina, the victim himself insists on the open trial, especially since the very case with all the details have already been highlighted by TV broadcasts and article in the printed media.