26 February 2009, 19:00
In Ingushetia, trial on Evloev's murder is offered without defendant
It is possible that the case about the death of Magomed Evloev, former owner of the oppositional website "Ingushetia.Ru", will be considered in absentia of the defendant. The defence of the latter - Ibragim Evloev, head of the security of the Ingushetian Interior Minister, charged with manslaughter, - plans to lodge a respective petition.
The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Sharip Kepsaev, Ibragim Evloev's advocate, that his client is under mortal threat should he appear in the courtroom. "I know that my client is under real danger," Mr Kepsaev has explained. "He has been put on the list of the so-called 'blood feud'. In our republic, there were attempts on defendants in the course of litigation."
"The practice shows that litigation held in another subject is safer for the figurants in the case," said Sharip Kepsaev. "The court has refused to consider the issue of transferring the trial, having referred to the fact that the lower instance had considered the point without the defendant. However, my client will fail to appear at the next session as well. It's dangerous for him! Therefore, I plan to petition in favour of considering the case without the defendant."
At the same time, Musa Pliev, advocate of the family of the murdered public figure, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the issue of delivering the case to another court is just another attempt of the defendant to protract the process. Besides, as he said, the prosecutor's office has information that the defendant had breached his recognizance not to leave and failed to appear at the preliminary hearing to the Nazran District Court, as he was not in Ingushetia.
Author: Natalia Korchmarek Source: CK correspondent
