In Maikop, trial of Zarema Khadjirokova continues without defence

The Maikop City Court has continued the questioning of witnesses in the criminal case against Zarema Khadjirokova, the former chief accountant of the Maikop State Technological University, who is accused of fraud. The trial was held in the absence of defence, and the defendant was brought to the courtroom by force, stated Lyudmila Alexandrova, the former advocate of the defendant.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 5, 2013, Zarema Khadjirokova was sentenced to 3.5 years of conditional sentence on the charge of embezzlement on a large scale. In April 2014, the woman was detained again on charges of fraud and concealment of property subjected to arrest.

Zarema Khadjirokova refused to participate in the trial and waived the advocate appointed by the state, the "Caucasian Knot" was told by advocate Lyudmila Alexandrova, the former defender of Zarema Khadjirokova.

"Zarema Khadjirokova has waived the advocates' services, since she saw no sense in participation in the trial, which fails to listen to the arguments of the defendant and her defenders," Lyudmila Alexandrova has stated.

According to the advocate, Zarema Khadjirokova was taken by force to the courtroom. "They literally dragged her into the courtroom," Lyudmila Alexandrova has said.

She has noted that the European Convention on Human Rights treats infliction of bodily harm as torture.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.