Defendants in the case of attack on Nalchik go on hunger strike

On Monday, at the trial of the attack on Nalchik on October 13, 2005, the defendant Murat Kashirgov said that several defendants had gone on hunger strike. According to Kashirgov, the protest was caused by the fact that the defendants' complaints remain within the SIZO and fail to reach the destinations, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

"On April 17, I lodged two complaints against illegal actions of the SIZO administration; however, I didn't receive their outgoing numbers, which indicates that the complaints had never gone outside the facility. I ask the SIZO director to eliminate the violations," Murat Kashirgov said at the session.

He added that the strike will continue until they meet the prosecutor. He did not specify the exact number of hunger-strikers, but mentioned that "the action was supported by Murat Midov, Akhmed Khupsergenov, Khabas Emkuzhev and other defendants."

The lawyer Lyucya Shorova told the court that her client Aslanbek Unazhokov is also holding a hunger strike. The fact of his hunger strike was recorded in the minutes.

So far, there are no comments from the SIZO officials in connection with Murat Kashirgov's statement.

Let us remind you that the attack on Nalchik undertaken on October 13, 2005, resulted in a loss of 35 law enforcers and militaries, 15 civilians and 95 attackers. Now, 57 defendants are in the prisoner's dock; most of them refuse to plead guilty.