01:30, 27 November 2013

Today is four years after explosion of "Neva-Express" Train

Defendants in case of undermining "Neva-Express" train in the court room, January 27, 2012. Photo by Tatiana Gantimurova for the ‘Caucasian Knot’.

Four years ago, on November 27, 2009, near the village of Lykoshino, a crashed of the high-speed "Neva-Express" Train en route from Moscow to Saint Petersburg took place, killing 28 people and injuring over 130 others. According to investigators, the crash was a result of a terror act, prepared and committed by ten residents of the Ingush village of Ekazhevo, who were later charged and convicted. At the trial, none of them pled guilty. A complaint was filed with the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on behalf of all the convicts. The defence is sure that the ECtHR will recommend a re-investigation of the case.

"Russia must recognize that in the course of the investigation and court proceedings several articles of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) were violated," Tatiana Okushko, one of the advocates, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

She is confident that the ECtHR in Strasbourg will send the case on the explosion of the "Neva-Express" Train for a new trial. According to her, the main reason is that the court sessions were held behind closed doors.

Tatiana Okushko believes that the fact that the hearings were closed to the public should alert the society; and people have the right to wonder: have they really convicted those people who had blown up the train?

Author: Tatiana Gantimurova

Source: CK correspondent