22:04, 2 October 2007

Krasnodar Territory: trial of OMON officers postponed till October 17

The first judicial session on the case of the officers of the OMON (Special Militia) of the Sochi (Krasnodar Territory) Department of Internal Affairs, who had started a fight with holiday-makers, has been re-appointed on October 17 because of the failure of the defendants' advocates to appear, as Nikolai Shakhovalov, advocate for the suffered party has reported.

According to his words, the Lazarevskoe District Court of Sochi is postponing the first session for the second time for the same reason - absence of advocates, the UGA.ru agency reports.

"Seven advocates of the defendants have failed to appear today. Four of them - without any valid reasons," Mr Shakhovalov has said.

He has added that he petitioned before the court on bringing these lawyers to disciplinary responsibility. His petition was satisfied.

Nikolai Shakhovalov has no doubts that the defence was thus trying to procrastinate the process, however, the motives are not clear.