KBR court appoints examination of video with Tokhov's interrogation

The Zolsky District Court has appointed an examination of the video record of the interrogation of Zaur Tokhov, a resident of the village of Kamennomostskoye of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR), accused of aiding militants.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on August 8, 2014, Zaur Tokhov was found guilty of illegal possession of arms and drugs, as well as aiding militants. On November 11, 2014, the case was sent for retrial.

In October 2014, Tokhov addressed Boris Zumakulov, the Russia's Ombudsman for the KBR, the KBR's Human Rights Centre (HRC) and the HRC "Memorial". He asserted that he was forced under torture to sign his confessions in the case of aiding militants.

The Supreme Court has indicated, as the reason for cancelling the verdict, that the first instance court had failed to assess witnesses' testimonies, the conclusions of the forensic medical examination on drugs, and Tokhov's statement about application of illegal methods of investigation to him.

At the today's court session, the prosecution has moved a motion to appoint a psychological-psychiatric examination of the video record of the defendant's interrogation. According to the prosecution, the examination should answer the question of whether the video contains "unacceptable signs of psychological influence exerted by operative agents on the questioned person."

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