02 September 2021, 19:33
Aslan Iritov criticizes court for trusting law enforcers’ testimony
In Nalchik, the court ignored the testimonies of witnesses for the defence and pronounced a biased verdict, which would be challenged, claims Aslan Iritov, the head of the public organization “Volny Aul” (Free Mountainous Village).
The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that today, in Nalchik, a court found Aslan Iritov guilty of using violence against a policeman and sentenced him to two years of suspended imprisonment.
On October 31, 2017, when the members of the "Volny Aul" (Free Village) organization were going to hold a rally, law enforcers came to Iritov's yard with a warning about the inadmissibility of a non-sanctioned action. According to the prosecution, Iritov, who is a disabled person (he has no wrists), inflicted a moderate injury to Khamidbi Gubashiev, a deputy head of the "E" Centre (the Centre for Combating Terrorism). Iritov himself complained that his family members received traumas in the incident; and he seeks criminal prosecution of the law enforcers, but refuses to admit his guilt.
Aslan Iritov claims that he absolutely disagrees with the court’s decision. “The court based the verdict solely on the testimonies of the policemen and was skeptical about the testimonies given by the defence witnesses. It turns out that only the police are telling the truth, while others are lying,” Aslan Iritov said.
The verdict could be expected, and it is not clear why the court delayed its pronouncement for so long, notes Svetlana Alieva, the deputy head of the “Volny Aul”. “Why did it take so long to wait if everything is so clear for the judge in the verdict: Iritov is to blame, and the policemen, who broke into his house as a crowd to hand over one piece of paper, have not violated anything, but acted within their powers? The court blanched them over, and the verdict is biased,” Svetlana Alieva concluded.
Magomed Alamov, a member of the “Committee against Torture”*, also called the verdict expected. “I did not expect that Aslan Iritov would be acquitted, but I thought that he would be sentenced to a year and a half of suspended imprisonment. But the judge went on and sentenced the defendant to two years of suspended imprisonment. I believe the verdict will be challenged by the Aslan Iritov’s defence. The activities of the ‘Committee Against Torture’ with regard to the use of violence against Aslan Iritov and his family members will be continued,” Magomed Alamov said.
* The organization is included by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) of Russia in the register of NCOs performing the functions of a foreign agent.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 2, 2021 at 02:59 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Lyudmila Maratova; Source: CK correspondent
