In Cherkessk, over 70 persons rally against acquittal of policemen accused of killing detainees

More than 70 persons attended the rally against the decisions of the courts of Karachay-Cherkessia that acquitted the policemen accused of killing detainees. The rally was held on the Square "Friendship of Peoples" of the city of Cherkessk. The protest action was attended by relatives of deceased Dakhir Djankezov and Nikos Mikhailidi.

Participants of the rally voiced the slogans "Why does court acquits killers?", "We demand justice!", and "Justice is with killers!"

The protesters met Sergey Nikulin, the head of the department of the leader and the government of the Karachay-Cherkessian Republic (KChR) on interaction with law enforcement and power agencies. The official has listened to the demands of the protesters.

The rally was held on the initiative of Larisa Djankezova, the widow of Dakhir Djankezov. Earlier, Ruslan Rakhaev, ex-Deputy Chief of Cherkessk Police, was found guilty of beating Dakhir Djankezov to death.

The court hearings in the case against Ruslan Rakhaev were held at the Cherkessk City Court. In July 2013, the court hearings were completed in the verdict of guilty. The Court sentenced the policeman to 13 years of imprisonment in a high-security penal colony. However, the defence of Ruslan Rakhaev stated that the accusation against him had been fabricated and challenged the decision at the Supreme Court of the KChR, which on October 8, cancelled the verdict of guilty and sent the case back for reconsideration.