Lawyers: Chechen SC pronounces decision in case of Dadaev's murder

The decision of the Chechen Supreme Court (SC) to recognize illegal the refusal of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) to open a criminal case of abuse of power committed by Stavropol policemen during the special operation held in Grozny has come into conflict with the verdict pronounced by the court in Essentuki. This opinion was expressed by lawyers interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot". According to them, the decision pronounced by the Supreme Court of Chechnya is reasonable, but it may be challenged by the Prosecutor's Office.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 19, in Grozny, Djambulat Dadaev was killed, who was on the federal wanted list on suspicion of shelling an entrepreneur in Stavropol. In Chechnya, a criminal case of abuse of power was initiated against the Stavropol policemen; however, Alexander Bastrykin, Chief of the ICRF, closed it. In July, the ICRF recognized the actions of the Stavropol law enforcers as legal.

The decision pronounced by the Supreme Court of Chechnya means that the ICRF should carry out the investigation into the operation held by the law Stavropol enforcers. This opinion was expressed by Adam Abubakarov, Vice-President of the Chechen Advocates' Bar.

Said-Magomed Chapanov, a managing partner of the "Law Office No. 1 'Chapanov and Partners'", states that the information available "suggests the illegal actions of law enforcers."

Meanwhile, the lawyer has emphasized that Alexander Bastrykin, Chairman of the ICRF, has the right to terminate investigation into any criminal case.

In her turn, Moscow advocate Nadezhda Ermolaeva has noted that the court cannot oblige the ICRF to initiate criminal proceedings. According to the advocate, "an investigation into the causes of death is regulated by the European Convention on Human Rights."

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