Dagestan starts retrial of "honour killing" case

Today, the Kizilyurt District Court has begun a retrial on the murder of a woman from the village of Nechaevka. The defendant – the casualty's uncle – has refused to plead guilty and testify.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the 22- year-old Maryam Magomedova was killed in August 2010. Her mother blamed the girl's uncle – Kasum Magomedov. His trial began in November 2012; and on April 2, 2013, he was acquitted. On April 12, the victim's lawyer Salimat Kadyrova appealed against the verdict. On July 23, the Supreme Court overturned the verdict and sent the case for retrial by the same Kizilyurt District Court.

Today, the court has questioned a prosecution witness – another uncle of the girl – Murtazali Abdulmuslimov. "He told how he found the grave where his niece was buried; and on the same night he was called to Asilder Magomedov, Kasum's brother," the victim's lawyer Salimat Kadyrova told the "Caucasian Knot".

The witness told about the talk they had, during which a confession of the murder was made and an offer "to settle the matter quietly," said the lawyer, adding that the witness had refused to "settle" the matter, saying that the killers would answer according to the law.

The next court session is scheduled for October 4.