20:30, 13 September 2016

RUJ expresses concern about fate of Geriev

Today, a statement in support of Zhalaudi Geriev, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, sentenced to three years in prison, was issued by the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ).

"The RUJ expresses its deep concern over the fate of the journalist and hopes that the Supreme Court of Chechnya will attentively treat Geriev's case," says the statement posted on the RUJ's website.

The RUJ reminds that recently the head of Chechnya said that the republic "should not have a single person unfairly convicted." "We hope that this will be done," the authors of the statement have noted.

The court has sentenced Zhalaudi Geriev, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, to three years in colony on charges of marijuana possession. Geriev made a confession to investigators under pressure and retracted testimonies at the trial. The defence appealed against the sentence, pointing to numerous falsifications in case files, the apparent contradictions in the prosecution's version and involvement of "hired regular witnesses" by policemen.

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