14:45, 22 December 2016

Court extends arrest of figurants in Nemtsov's murder case by three months

Rally in memory of Boris Nemtsov, Rostov-on-Don, February 27, 2016. Photo by Konstantin Volgin for the 'Caucasian Knot'.

Today, at the Moscow District Military Court, the prosecutor has filed a motion asking to extend the detention of the defendants. Despite the objections of the defence, the court has ruled to leave them in custody until March 30, 2017.

Boris Nemtsov was shot dead on February 27, 2015, in Moscow. Within his murder case five natives from Chechnya and Ingushetia were arrested, including Zaur Dadaev, brothers Anzor and Shagid Gubashev, Tamerlan Eskerkhanov and Khamzat Bakhaev. The criminal case also involves Chechen officers Ruslan Mukhudinov, Ruslan Geremeev, and Beslan Shavanov, who was killed during his detention.

The today's motion of the prosecutor Maria Semenenko was supported by Vadim Prokhorov, the victims' advocate.

The defence of Eskerkhanov asked the court to change his freedom restraint measure and release him on bail of one million roubles.

Zaurbek Sadakhanov, the defender of Bakhaev, has stated to the court that his client's guilt had not been proved.

"No additional arguments and evidence in favour of the extension of the arrest have been presented; therefore, please, reject the detention," he said.

Zaur Dadaev, and Anzor and Shagid Gubashev have supported their defenders.

However, in the end, the court has refused to change their freedom restraint measure. All of them, according to the court judgement, will stay in custody until March 30, 2017, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

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

Source: CK correspondent