23:27, 23 October 2008

Dagestan: persons accused of murdering Farid Babaev refuse to admit their guilt

In Dagestan, Rasul Mamedrizaev and Seferali Sefimirzoev, accused of murdering Farid Babaev, leader of the regional branch of the "Yabloko" Party, have refused to plead guilty.

Meanwhile, a new figurant appeared in Babaev's murder case. According to inspectors' version, Farid Babaev's murder was organized by Sedredin Kanberov who is now searched.

According to the investigation, it was Kanberov who gave a pistol to Rasul Mamedrizaev and promised to pay 15,000 US dollars for Babaev's murder.

Arthur Babaev, brother of the perished Farid, said at the trial that he saw his brother's activities as the leader of the Dagestan branch of the "Yabloko" Party to be the reason for his murder.

"Neither our family nor Farid ever had personal enemies," said Arthur Babaev. "In my opinion, his murder has to do with his human rights activities. At the funeral, my brother's friend told me that Farid had received someone's telephone call saying, 'You better not get into it.' I believe they meant his actions to investigate the events in the Dokuzparinskyi District, when peaceful residents had been executed."

Author: Oleg Ionov, CK correspondent