Suspect of attacking the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria says they tried to strangle him in SIZO

At today's session of the Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria on the case of the attack on Nalchik, one of the defendants, Zaur Tokhov, has stated that the workers of the SIZO (pre-trial detention facility) had tried to strangle him, and named these workers.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports with reference to the advocates that the court has taken the statement of defendant Tokhov into account.

We remind you that earlier Mr Tokhov had tried to apply, via advocate Larissa Dorogova, to the European Court for Human Rights on violation of his rights in custody.

However, the advocate was prohibited from entering the SIZO to meet her client Tokhov. She was deprived of the access warrant. Ms Dorogova went to court on this fact. At the same time, a woman-employee of the SIZO applied to the Prosecutor's Office of Nalchik with a complaint that Dorogova had abused and threatened to kill her. The Prosecutor's Office refused to initiate a criminal case against the advocate, however, the inspector who conducted a check of the complaint, warned the advocate that the refusal decision would, most likely, be cancelled, and a new check would be appointed.

In Larissa Dorogova's opinion, all this is done with the only aim - not to let her into the SIZO for rendering assistance to defendant in protecting their rights.

The today's preliminary hearing at the Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria on the case about the attack on the power agencies of Kabardino-Balkaria on October 13, 2005, was again postponed.

The reason of the postponement was the illness of one of the advocates.

The hearings will be continued on March 20.