In Kabardino-Balkaria, litigation on Nalchik attack case disrupted again

Today, the defendants in the criminal case on the events on October 13, 2005 in Nalchik again disrupted the session by rejecting an advocate replacement.

Advocate Akhmetova failed to come to the court session because of death of her close relative. She had duly warned the court and asked another advocate - Shorova - to take care of her clients - Murat Midov and Arthur Kuchmenov. However, when asked by the chairing judge whether the defendants agree to replacement of the advocate, both of them answered in the negative. The session was postponed till Tuesday, March 30.

Let us remind you that the defendants not for the first time refused to have their advocate replaced and disrupted the judicial sessions. Thus, on March 11 defendants Zaur Sokmyshev and Murat Kashirgov refused to have another advocate, having blocked that judicial session on the case.

Earlier, in the court lobby lawyers explained the defendants' behaviour by their pressure on the court with the aim to have Anzor Mashukov, earlier removed by the court for breaking the order, back into the courtroom.

However today, the lawyers have refused from comments and almost unanimously expressed their discontent with the today's behaviour of the defendants who rejected advocate replacement.

"They think that the court treats them badly," said advocate Oleg Kelemetov, "that is why they behave like that. But I told them that they should not forget that the court should formulate their verdict."