Rasul Kudaev refuses to plead guilty at SC
Advocates of Rasul Kudaev, sentenced to life imprisonment in the case of the attack on Nalchik, claims the absence of evidence of his guilt. Rasul Kudaev himself has noted that he has never been an "amir" of militants and never met Basaev and Astemirov.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 24, 2015, the Russian Supreme Court (SC) began to listen to the positions of the parties in the case of the attack on Nalchik. The advocates and most of the prisoners claim having been involved in the events by fraud.
Today, Arthur Kelemetov sentenced to 18 years of imprisonment, has called the verdict unfair. According to him, the findings of the court of first instance are based on evidence obtained in violation of the law.
Arthur Kelemetov has said that upon his detention, he was interrogated without an advocate. He has also claimed that during the interrogations, "physical force was used" against him.
Rasul Kudaev is a former Guantanamo prisoner. Since October 23, 2005, he was kept at the SIZO (pre-trial prison) of Nalchik on suspicion of involvement in the attack on public buildings in the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria. On December 23, 2014, the Supreme Court of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Advocate Akhilgov has reported that after the detention, Rasul Kudaev "was severely tortured".
Advocate Magomed Gagiev has stated that there is no evidence of Rasul Kudaev's guilt, except the testimonies given by several defendants. Meanwhile, according to the advocate, there is evidence to support his client's alibi.
Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.