Hearings on "Cadet's case" postponed again in Chechnya

The continuation of the trial on the case of Sergey Lapin, former senior lieutenant of Nizhnevartovsk District Interior Department (ROVD) (also known by his radio ID as "Cadet") that was appointed for September 3 at the Oktiabrskiy Court of Grozny did not take place because of non-appearance of the defendant's advocate. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has learnt about it from Stanislav Markelov, advocate of the offended party. We remind you that Lapin is accused of torturing Zelimkhan Murdalov, a resident of Grozny, the capital of Chechnya.

In connection with the aforesaid, Judge Aset Mamaeva has re-appointed the session to September 13.

Earlier, the court session on Lapin's case had been appointed to August 21, but on the eve of that date, according to Natalia Estemirova, an employee of the representative office of the Human Rights Center "Memorial" in Grozny, who informed the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, Lapin's advocate had also notified the Court by cable about his impossibility to appear.

"Advocate Degtyaryov made everything possible to protract the process till the moment, when the issue of arrest extension should be considered, and to achieve Lapin's release under recognizance not to leave, to give him later a chance 'to evaporate,' like Ulman did," Ms Estemirova believes.

"Since the defendant's advocate had been notified about the date of the session well in advance and, obviously, tried willingly to disrupt the session without any explanation of the reason, on August 21 the Court made a decision to extend Sergey Lapin's arrest by three months, and provided a local on duty advocate to him at consideration of this matter," Mr Markelov explained.

In response to it, the defendant declared his challenge of the court.