Farid Babaev, killed in Dagestan, could fall victim of personal showdown, his brother thinks

Today, the Supreme Court of Dagestan has continued hearings on the case about murder of Farid Babaev, head of the Dagestan regional branch of the "Yabloko" Party, human rights activist, public figure and candidate for the State Duma, where the defence witnesses were interrogated.

Arthur Babaev, Farid's brother, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the cause of his brother's murder could be in enmity between Sedredin Kanberov and Abbasov family: "They disliked each other. Sedredin Kanberov knew about tough mutual relations of my brother with the head of the Dokuzparin District. Naturally, whatever happened with Farid, Kerimkhan Abbasov would have been accused first of all, therefore my brother was killed."

Arthur Babaev also said that the witnesses, who have identified Sedredin Kanberov and the killer, were recently under open pressure, exerted by Ruzmedin Kanberov, brother of the searched Sedredin, who works in the central machinery of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Dagestan. Arthur Babaev has noted that today the witnesses were let alone, and they reconfirmed their evidences to the Supreme Court.

The defendants' advocates, in turn, and Sedredin Kanberov's brother Fakhruddin have stated that Sedredin Kanberov had nothing to do with the murder. In their opinion, the name of Sedredin Kanberov as the customer of the murder was for the first time mentioned in evidences of Mamedrizaev, who was tortured for several hours in spring of 2008 in the cellars of Dagestan MIA.

Suleiman Azuev, Mamedrizaev's advocate, said that he has a medico-legal opinion listing numerous traumas found on his body. Later Mamedrizaev completely refuted his evidences. Fakhruddin Kanberov, answering to the question of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, said that his brother is now in hiding because he is afraid of local law enforcers.

"They are brutally torturing everybody in order to get the information they need. Arthur Babaev is misled by inspectors; that is why he makes statements about pressure on witnesses. Yes, indeed, another brother of mine - Ruzmedin Kanberov - works at the Criminal Investigation Department of the MIA of Dagestan, but for several recent months he has been on business trip to the Untsukul District, where a counterterrorist special operation was held. Ruzmedin Kanberov does not appear in Makhachkala at all, how can he influence the witnesses?" said Fakhruddin Kanberov.