Trial of journalist Petrova who wrote about Caucasus delayed till January 21

The Moskovskiy District Court of the city of Kazan has reappointed the consideration of the complaint of two militia officers against the decision to stop the criminal case against journalist Natalia Petrova who is known for her reports from "hot points" of the Caucasus, and her parents on January 21, 2008.

Irina Khrunova, advocate of Georgiy and Nina Petrov, the parents of the journalist, has informed the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the court session was postponed because not all the interested persons have appeared today to the courtroom - out of the three former defendants only Georgiy Petrov has. His wife Nina is at hospital, and daughter Natalia ran away from the country with her children in fear of prosecution and violence from the Kazan militia.

We remind you that the criminal case against the three members of the Petrov family was initiated on September 19, 2007, under part 1, Article 318, of the Criminal Code (CC) of the Russian Federation (RF) (application of violence, with no danger to life or health, to a power official in connection with execution by him or her of official duties) and under part 2, Article 129, of the CC of the RF (slander in mass media).

Natalia Petrova was accused that on September 6 she inflicted, together with her parents of 70 and her two daughters of 9, bodily injuries to operative workers of the criminal investigation department A. Petukhov, R. Nurtdinov and A. Khairullin at an entrance of their house, when the latter tried to detain Natalia, as from July 24 she was in search under a slander criminal case against director of the school where her children studied.

The journalist herself asserts on the contrary that the militiamen severely beat her and the members of her family. Natalia Petrova got a heavy brain concussion, numerous bruises and lost her three teeth, which was confirmed by medical documents. Her daughter Masha of 9 also lost a tooth.