Defence of Rasul Kudaev appeals against verdict in Nalchik attack case

At sentencing Rasul Kudaev in the case of the attack on Nalchik in 2005, the court failed to consider a number of testimonies and defence information; the verdict has been challenged, said the advocate Batyr Akhilgov.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the verdict in the case of the attack on Nalchik was announced on December 23 at the Supreme Court (SC) of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR). Five defendants, including Rasul Kudaev, were sentenced to life imprisonment, while three others were released with account of their already served term.

"When sentencing, the SC failed to take into account the witnesses' testimonies about Rasul Kudaev's alibi, the evidence of other defendants in the case, who had slandered Kudaev, and information of advocates about the physical violence applied to their client," said Batyr Akhilgov, one of Kudaev's advocates and a member of the Bar Association of the Republic of Ingushetia. According to his story, the appeal complaint against Kudaev's verdict has been submitted to the Russia's SC.

Meanwhile, starting December 30, 2014, the social networks Facebook and VKontakte launched a campaign "We are all Rasul Kudaev!" As of January 1, at least 60 persons had joined the action. Activists changed the photo of the profile for the photo Kudaev and wrote in their pages: "We are all Rasul Kudaev!"

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