Case of Delimkhanov's guards continues practice of sheltering law enforcers

The sentence to Said Akhmaev and Lechi Bolatbaev, the bodyguards of Adam Delimkhanov, a State Duma MP, is an example of the widespread in Russia law enforcers' impunity. They are using their service and personal contacts to influence investigators, and "no one wants to deal with Chechen law enforcers," rights defenders assert.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 6, a Moscow court released Said Akhmaev and Lechi Bolatbaev, officers of the Chechen "Sever" (North) Battalion, accused of extortion. The verdict entails no dismissal, stated the lawyers.

"The main reason for law enforcers' special status is that they are personally acquainted with the investigators, make friends with them; they often have common service interests," said Albert Kuznetsov, the coordinator of the North-Caucasian branch of the "Committee against Torture" (CaT).

He believes that only a significant improvement in the quality of investigators' work can change the situation.

Courts are passing mild sentences to law enforcers because the latter are using "all possible channels of exert pressure on courts," said Alexander Cherkasov, the board chairman of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", adding that the status of Chechen law enforcers can be treated as privileged even against the confident status of their colleagues in other regions.