31 May 2023, 21:55
Defence explains mitigation of sentence to KBR's lawyer Zhilokov
The Supreme Court (SC) of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) has replaced imprisonment for a fine of 100,000 roubles imposed on Ratmir Zhilokov, an advocate convicted of assaulting a law enforcer; the mitigation is due to the fact that the criminal punishment had been applied with no due reason, Boris Zolotukhin, Ratmir's advocate, has stated, adding that the defence demanded that Zhilokov be acquitted, but the SC has treated the law enforcer's actions as lawful, and the experts' conclusions as duly justified.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 23, 2023, the court sentenced Zhilokov to 1.5 years in prison, finding him guilty of assaulting a policeman.
Ratmir Zhilokov was detained on May 20, 2020. According to investigators, he behaved rudely with policemen and used physical violence on one of them, trying to prevent them from entering the facility, where gambling activities were allegedly carried out. Three colleagues volunteered to provide legal support to Ratmir, including Diana Tsipinova. The advocates were not allowed to see the detainee; law enforcers didn't like to be filmed; and they "twisted the advocates and drove them out of the building." The advocates then registered the traces of the beatings.
The KBR's SC has changed the sentence to Ratmir Zhilokov by imposing a fine instead of imprisonment. "The Court of Appeal treats the imposed punishment as unfair due to excessive severity that does not correspond to the nature and degree of the crime's public danger," says the SC's website.
The SC has found the facts that Zhilokov has four minor children and takes part in charity actions as extenuating circumstances.
On May 18, debates began in the case of Diana Tsipinova, an advocate, accused of using violence against a policeman. The prosecutor asked to sentence her to 2.5 years in colony. The suffered law enforcer, Timur Nagoev, has stated that, in his opinion, Diana was guilty of committing an offence, but using a real punishment against her would be inappropriate.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 31, 2023 at 00:02 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Alexander Stepanov Source: СK correspondent
