Investigators show interest in materials of Kurman-Ali Baichorov's case

The Stavropol Regional Court has sent to the investigating authorities the materials of the preliminary and judicial investigation into the criminal case against Kislovodsk Imam Kurman-Ali Baichorov, sentenced on the charge of illegal possession of drugs.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 12, 2015, Kurman-Ali Baichorov was sentenced to 3.5 years of imprisonment and a fine in the amount of 50,000 roubles on the charge of illicit drug trafficking. The Imam claimed that the drugs had been planted to him. The reconsideration of the appeal against the sentence was scheduled for January 15. The defence has described the started trial as "an attempt to eliminate the errors of the panel of judges of the first composition in order to legitimize the unjust verdict."

At the court hearing held on January 25, the panel of judges granted a series of motions filed by the defence of Kurman-Ali Baichorov and aimed to present evidence of his innocence, said advocate Alaudi Musaev.

According to the advocate, during the whole period of the trial, the defence has no chance to question Nikolai Zavyalikov, the main defendant in the case, a staff member of the Chief Department for the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), whose transfer to the central administration the Russian MIA was reported in the notice prepared by the Russian MIA in response to the request of the court.

According to Alaudi Musaev, the court has also granted the motion attach to the case materials the audio records of threats addressed to Kurman-Ali Baichorov and voiced during his kidnapping, which were also examined by the court during the trial.

The court has also granted the defence motion requesting to examine at the court hearing the narcotic substance allegedly found at the Kurman-Ali Baichorov's place.

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