At trial of Imam of Kislovodsk, prosecutor demands five years in prison for Baichorov

The Predgorny District Court of the Stavropol Territory, dealing with the case of Kislovodsk Imam Kurman-Ali Baichorov, has begun the pleadings. The prosecution asked for the defendant, accused of drug possession, five years in prison and a fine of 100,000 roubles.

This was preceded by refusal to grant the defence's motion to disqualify the judge and the prosecutor and deprivation of the floor of the advocate Muradov.

Alaudi Musaev, an advocate for Baichorov, put forward a petition that he treated as vital, and insisted that it should be announce before the transition to the pleadings, but the court again refused, once again making a remark to the lawyer. Musaev asked to cite the rule of law, under which his petition was rejected, to which the judge stated the unacceptability to ask questions to the court.

Then, the advocate stated the pressure on the defence and obstruction to defending Baichorov at trial. Then, the judge deprived him of the floor till the end of the session and passed over to the pleadings, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Let us remind you that, according to the investigation, on October 17, 2013, the car of Kurman-Ali Baichorov was stopped by GIBDD (traffic police), who found a package of drugs at his personal search. Supporters of the religious figure have treated the accusation as a provocation, which is associated with the Imam's irreconcilable position on mosques in Kislovodsk.

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