Kadyrov and "Novaya Gazeta" refuse to reconcile

Today, at the Basmanny Court of Moscow, Andrei Krasnenkov, representative of President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov, and lawyers of the "Novaya Gazeta" refused to enter an amicable agreement on the claim on protection of Kadyrov's honour and dignity against the newspaper.

Let us remind you that the pretext for the suit was in Kadyrov's claims to six paper articles, which were found discrediting and doubtful by the President. The claimant demands from the "Novaya Gazeta" to refute the materials, and pay out 865,600 roubles of moral compensation (one rouble per paper copy) and 100,000 roubles - from the author of four publications.

"I don't think we can reach any amicable agreement. We stick to opposing opinions and different platforms," the "Interfax" quotes Andrei Krasnenkov as saying today in the Basmanny Court in reply to the question of the judge, whether the parties agree to reconcile.

Mr Krasnenkov has explained that several articles published in the "Novaya Gazeta" accused his boss of grave crimes, including torturing and beating people personally or under his order.

He has added that the authors of the newspaper had imputed Kadyrov of involvement in last year's murder of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and murder in Austria of Umar Israilov, a resident of Chechnya, last January.

Andrei Krasnenkov has also added that now the GUVD (Chief Interior Department) of Moscow conducts a check under the initiated criminal case in relation to some of the authors and editor-in-chief of the "Novaya Gazeta" Dmitri Muratov, and that he asked to open a slander criminal case, since, according to his data, the authors of the newspaper had published knowingly false information.

Then, Yaroslav Kozheurov, who represents the newspaper, asked to postpone the consideration of the claim until the decision on the criminal case. According to his version, it may essentially affect the process or even suspend it, as reported by the ITAR-TASS.