Six witnesses confirm Belyalov's alibi on the day of attack on Budyonnovsk

Ramzan Belyalov, a native of Chechnya, accused of an armed attack on Budyonnovsk, was in Bashkortostan, when the TV broadcasted news about the capture of the hospital by Basaev's militants, witnesses have stated at the trial held in Rostov-on-Don.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that since September, the North-Caucasian District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don was considering the case of the Chechen natives Ramzan Belyalov and Magomed Mazdaev, accused of participating in the terror attack on Budyonnovsk. The defendants deny their guilt; while a number of witnesses have confirmed Belyalov's alibi, stating that from spring to autumn 1995 he worked in a Bashkir village.

On June 14, 1995, a group of militants from Chechnya, led by Shamil Basaev, attacked citizens and organizations in Budyonnovsk and captured the central city hospital of the city. As a result of the terror act, 129 people were killed. After the talks on June 19, 1995, the terrorists freed the rest of the people, and the Russian authorities agreed to stop combat actions in Chechnya and withdraw troops, while the militants were allowed to return to Chechnya.

At the court session on November 10, six more witnesses of Ramzan Belyalov's defence were interrogated, who in spring 1995 together with Belyalov left to work in Bashkiria as members of one team of workers, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, who is present at the trial, reports.

All of them have confirmed that during the attack on Budyonnovsk Belyalov was in Bashkiria together with other workers.

"My client's alibi has been confirmed; and we'll see now how the court treats the presented evidence. I'm sure that Belyalov must be acquitted!" Natalia Kholtochina, Ramzan Belyalov's appointed advocate, said after the session, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.