SC of Chechnya completes questioning defence witnesses in Timur Tangiev's case

The Supreme Court (SC) of Chechnya has completed the questioning of defence witnesses in the case against Timur Tangiev. At the last moment, many witnesses refused to go to court to testify, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has been told by Ruslan Bekov, a defendant's advocate.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 5, 2004, Timur Tangiev was sentenced to 24 years of imprisonment on charges of grave and especially grave crimes. However, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) revealed violations committed in the criminal proceedings against Timur Tangiev, and the Presidium of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation sent the case back for re-consideration.

According to Ruslan Bekov, for some time, some people were actively interested in the progress of the trial, and they were willing to act as witnesses for the defence.

"In the evening, they were willing to go with us to Grozny to testify at trial, and in the morning, they got suddenly very busy. They have informed me that they have their own problems and that they do not want to get additional Timur's problem. They have added they believe to testify at trial in Grozny means to take risk," the advocate has explained the position of the above people.

According to Ruslan Bekov, the questioning of the defence witnesses lasted for two weeks, and the judge already urges the advocates and points out that the appearance of the defence witnesses in court is being delayed.

"We argue that the public prosecutors provided evidence during three months... Only two weeks passed, since the defence witnesses started to testify, and we are already being urged to hurry up," Ruslan Bekov has complained.