KBR: trial of policeman who beat a teen reappointed for December 13

The Chegem District Court of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) has postponed till December 13 the session of the trial against a former policeman accused of beating and torturing teenagers, the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" has reported.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 3 at a rally against the tyranny of law enforcers, Zamir Bekshokov, a resident of the city of Chegem, told about beating at the Chegem ROVD. According to Bekshokov, on October 12, 2012, his 16-year-old son Murat and the 14-year-old Asker Kursakov, while passing by the house of their classmate saw him through the window. They stopped and began looking into the window. The boys were approached by three policemen and began beating them; and then took them to the Chegem ROVD.

According to the indictment, the ROVD employees tortured the above minors trying to force them to confess of involvement in the underground. The former law enforcers Oleg Bekulov and Sosyrbey Shadzov were accused of beating and intentionally causing injuries.

The case of Asker Abidov, an operative agent of the Chegem ROVD was isolated into separate proceeding. He is accused of abuse of power with the use of violence.

According to human rights activists, the victims in the criminal proceedings and their legal representatives moved a petition on disqualification of the prosecutor and the presiding judge. The petitions were rejected.