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Zakayevâs defence delivers unexpected blow
A key witness for the prosecution has publicly recanted his early evidence against Chechen envoy Akhmed Zakayev, whose extradition case is currently being examined by Bow Street magistratesâ court in London. The former chief of Zakayevâs bodyguards told the court Russian secret services had forced him to give false evidence after weeks of threats and torture. The testimony shocked not only the judge and the British public opinion, but also the prosecutors who have asked for adjournment before cross-examination, for the witness had been produced without warning. The Prosecutor Generalâs Office in Moscow refused to comment on the scandal.
| He was either tortured and/or intimidated into giving testimony against Zakaev by the Russers, or the Chechens have gotten to him and intimidated him into retracting his statement. Pick one. |
On Thursday the Bow Street magistratesâ court in London was to hear testimonies of witnesses summoned by the prosecution. In particular, the court planned to question the federal minister for Chechnya Stanislav Ilyasov and the Chechen envoy to the Federation Council (the upper house of Russian parliament) Akhmar Zavgayev. However, in a dramatic last-minute move, the defence asked the court to urgently give floor to one of the key witnesses for the prosecution, introduced as Duk-Vakha Dashuyev. Dashuyev back in December 2002 signed the affidavit, in which he claimed that one of Zakayevâs bodyguards had confessed to him that it was Zakayev himself who ordered him to kidnap two Orthodox priests in 1995. Gazeta.Ru wrote earlier that one of the main charges preferred against Aslan Maskhadovâs aide by Russia was masterminding the abduction of Rev. Philippe (Sergei Zhigulin) and Rev. Anatoly (Chistousov), who had arrived in Chechnya to negotiate release of Russian soldiers from Chechen captivity. Speaking in the London court on Thursday, Duk-Vakha Dashuyev said that the Russian secret services had used threats and violence and finally forced him to give false evidence against Zakayev.
| Could be, I suppose. But I also wonder what visitors he's had from the Olde Countrie lately... |
Dashuyev recounted that he was detained by Russian special force on November 27, 2002 and brought to the Khankala military base. There he was thrown in a pit, and for several days security officers tortured him with electric shock, forcing him to testify against Zakayev. Dashuyev said he had lasted six days and eventually agreed.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-07-26 |
