Dagestan rejects petition of Magomedov's defence to challenge the judge

During the latest session on the case of Imangazali Magomedov, a resident of the village of Shaumyan, Kizlyar District of Dagestan, accused of aiding militants and arms and drugs possession, his advocate tried to challenge the judge.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Magomedov was detained on June 2. Power agents made a search of his and his mother's houses, where, according to their version, they found firearms. After his advocate Elena Denisenko visited Magomedov at the Kizlyar IVS (temporary detention facility), she said that he was beaten up there.

At the court session on November 17, the defence demanded to disqualify the judge, arguing that he sticks to the prosecution's position. The judge rejected the motion, said Denisenko.

The trial continued with questioning defence witnesses. According to Denisenko, Magomedov's wife and his wife's sister were interrogated, as well as the members of the Public Oversight Commission (POC), who visited the defendant at the SIZO (pre-trial prison).

"I asked the court to add to the case files the photos, which show traces of beatings. I asked also to re-question the four witnesses, of whom two were personally involved in inspecting my client after his arrest. Earlier they reported that saw bruises on his body," said Denisenko.

She also filed a motion for summon the expert, who, according to her story, examining her client for 10 minutes in custody, but then wrote that it was impossible for him to define the severity of the beatings.

The Kizlyar District Court said that the following session will take place on November 24.

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