Alleged BORN leader refuses to plead guilty

The defendant Ilya Goryachev, accused of organizing the extremist community "Combat Organization of Russian Nationalists" (known as BORN), has refused to plead guilty during a session at the Moscow City Court (MCC).

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that investigators believe that Goryachev was in command of several murders, including the killing of the leader of the "Antifa" movement Ilya Djaparidze and the lawyer Stanislav Markelov.

Today, the prosecutor Maria Semenenko announced the indictment, according to which Goryachev is charged with organizing five murders under the motive of ethnic and religious hatred and enmity, as well as with illegal arms circulation.

The prosecutor Tatiana Bauer describes the procedure of studying the evidence against the defendant by the prosecution. According to her story, firstly, they will question the victims and the witnesses; then, the written materials of the case will be examined; and, finally, the defendant will be questioned.

"The BORN had a hierarchical structure. Goryachev can't kill an insect, but he is accused of organizing a gang. Goryachev has never dealt with circulation of weapons, because he doesn't know how to handle weapons. Goryachev was a publicist," said, in turn, his advocate Mark Feigin.

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