Court session on Nalchik attack case postponed because one defendant is sick

The today's session on the criminal case dealing with attack on Nalchik in October 2005 was cancelled because of defendant Sergey Kaziev's illness.

The chair of the court Galina Gorislavskaya has stated that the administration of the SIZO (pre-trial prison) had submitted a certificate that "defendant Sergey Kaziev cannot be delivered to the trial." Then, she announced postponement of the session to May 7.

Defendant Azret Shavaev, who is a doctor, asked for the floor and said that Sergey Kaziev is seriously ill, he has liver cirrhosis.

Then, several defendants petitioned for additional opportunity to get acquainted with the materials of the criminal case.

In reply to these petitions, the chair said that during session breaks, especially during long ones, defendants will be brought out, in groups of 4-5 persons, for additional acquaintance with the materials of their criminal case, although, as she has noted, "the court is not obliged to do it as you had already got acquainted with them. However, as Ms Gorislavskaya has added, a year and a half had expired since, therefore the court decided to do a favour for the defendants.

Defendant Zamaev has stated to the court that the consequences of torture, to which he was exposed, according to his story, after detention, lead to degradation of his sense of sight. He asked to send him to one of the city hospitals for treatment.

Defendant Arthur Kuchenov has also asked to send him to one of municipal hospitals, since he suffers from face pain in connection with trigeminal nerve inflammation, which makes difficult for him to speak. According to his story, he had been hospitalized at the UFSIN's hospital; however, he received no treatment there.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent managed to learn that today Sergey Kaziev, whose illness was the reason for delaying the court session, was hospitalized in the hospital of the UFSIN (Punishment Enforcement Administration) of the Russian Federation for the KBR.