Defence excludes any influence of ECtHR's decision on trial of Barzukaev and Kurbanov

The decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), which recognized the Derbent residents, Islam Barzukaev and Gasan Kurbanov, as victims of torture, will not affect the outcome of the consideration of the appeal complaint, since Russia is no longer a party to the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), the convicts' advocate has indicated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 14, the ECtHR decided that law enforcers had tortured the residents of Derbent, Islam Barzukaev and Gasan Kurbanov, and also illegally detained them until they obtained the testimonies they wanted from them. The ECtHR obliged Russian authorities to pay Barzukaev and Kurbanov EUR 26,000 each as compensation.

The ECtHR's decision confirms that the detainees were subjected to torture, which became the reason for their self-incrimination, which formed the basis of the indictment, Tagir Shamsudinov, the convicts' advocate, asserts.

He has noted that in the verdict that is now appealed against, "the court has indirectly actually recognized the use of torture and unauthorized investigation methods."

"Kurbanov was acquitted under the article on training in terrorist activities, since there were absolutely no proofs in the case, except for unjustified allegations, except for the testimonies given under torture by Kurbanov that he had studied the production of prohibited items on the Telegram," Tagir Shamsudinov has explained.