22:56, 29 March 2007

In Krasnodar Territory, the court that considers tortures by "OMON" fighters asked to remove "extra" victims

At the process dealing with accusation of "OMON" (Special Militia) fighters of application of violence in the children's summer camp "Druzhba" (Friendship) in Sochi (Krasnodar Territory), the victims' party has lodged a petition on elimination of violations in the indictment. Advocate Nikolai Shakhovalov, who is supporting the victims of the "OMON" attack on behalf of the Human Rights Foundation "Public Verdict," told about it today to the correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot."

"The point is that persons are listed in the case files as victims who failed to identify any of the "OMON" fighters brought to criminal responsibility, and the violence towards whom is not imputed to the defendants," Nikolai Shakhovalov has stated.

Also, at the hearings on Wednesday at the Lazarevskiy District Court of Sochi, a new advocate of defendant Maxim Ozhgikhin was introduced into the case. His previous advocate was replaced because he had failed to appear at one of the sessions, and turned sick during the next one.

Author: Vyacheslav Feraposhkin, CK correspondent