18:55, 25 January 2016

Convicts for attack on Nalchik finish their speeches at court

The convict Batyr Pshibiev. Photo: Sergey Khazov-Cassia (RFE/RL)

On January 28, the Russia's Supreme Court (SC) plans to announce its decision on the complaints lodged by the convicts in the case of the attack on Nalchik. Today, the convicts finished presenting their last pleas.

The attack on Nalchik was committed on October 13, 2005, and resulted in the killing of 35 law enforcers, 14 civilians and 92 attackers. The trial went on at the Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria since 2008. On December 23, 2014, five defendants were sentenced to lifelong imprisonment; three were released on the basis of the served term; and the rest were sentenced to 9-23 years in prison.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the appeal complaints against their verdicts were filed by 49 out of 56 convicts. Most of them claim to have been fraudulently involved in the events.

Today, at the court, the convict Batyr Pshibiev said that he hoped that "the court would give a legal assessment of the due justification and legality of the verdict." According to his version, he had not "attempted to overthrow the constitutional order," and "learnt about the attack at the last moment."

Pshibiev asked the court to take his positive characteristics into account, as well as the fact that he had "actively helped to solve the crime."

The convict Aslan Kuchmenov said that "he repented and pled guilty."

Djambulat Nafedzev asked the court to "give him a chance to return to his family."

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

Author: Lyudmila Maratova

Source: CK correspondent