At trial, defendant in case of Russian businessman's murder in Abkhazia claims being tortured

In Abkhazia, at the trial in the case of the murder of Russian businessman Sergey Klemantovich and his assistant Oksana Skarednova, the court interrogated one of the defendants, who claimed he had been subjected to torture after his detention.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in autumn 2012, Sergey Klemantovich, General Director of the "EL-Petroleum-Abkhazia" Company, disappeared together with his girlfriend. On October 12, the bodies of the both disappeared persons were found in the Abkhaz village of Adzyubzha. Nodik Kvitsiniya, an Abkhazian MP, and four other residents of Abkhazia, including Ramin Khmail, are charged with the kidnapping and murder for mercenary motives. Investigators believe Nodik Kvitsiniya organized the kidnapping and murder of Sergey Klemantovich and Oksana Skarednova. In December of 2014, the case was sent to court.

On September 15, the court questioned Ramin Khmail. He claimed he made a confession in the case after he had been tortured upon his detention.

According to the defendant, law enforcers had wrapped him in black plastic packing film, put in a pit and covered with soil, and he had heard in his address the threats of sexual violence with a police baton.

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