Nikolay Polozov: Akhtem Chiygoz didn’t ask witness to commit unlawful actions

126th judicial hearing on Akhtem Chiygoz’s case was held in the Supreme Court of Crimea on Thursday, June 8.

Chiygoz's lawyer Nikolay Polozov informed it in his video message, posted on Facebook by the Crimean Tatar Kurultai Central Executive Committee head Zair Smedlyaev.

Today there was continued the witness interrogation, Lenur Oblyazimov, who was in a line in front of pro-Ukrainian protesters near the Verkhovna Rada in Crimea on February 26.

«Akhtem Chiygoz came to him in the morning, till noon. He asked to watch the public order among the protesters thus to avoid any provocations. Akhtem Chyigoz didn’t ask to commit any unlawful actions. Akhtem Chiygoz also said nothing about blocking the entrance to the Verkhovna Rada and about actions aimed to prevent deputies from entering the building. On the contrary, his words ensured that the protesters calmly and peacefully held a mass rally», Nikolay Polozov said.

According to witness, before lunch the pro-Ukrainian and pro-Russian protesters were indifferent to each other.

«At midday he heard the watchwords «Sevastopol». The number of pro-Russian protesters had significantly increased. At the same time, all the police officers, who were in the courtyard, simultaneously left their place on command, and no one from the authorities protected the public order any more», the lawyer said.

According to him, the pro-Russian protesters became aggressive and began throwing the bottles in the pro-Ukrainian group. Subsequently, the crush had started which was provoked by the pro-Russian protesters. It lasted more than one hour, and as a result the pro-Ukrainian participants squeezed the pro-Russian out of the courtyard. Finally, Refat Chubarov and Sergey Aksenov appealed to the protesters that session of the Verkhovna Rada failed because of the deputies’ quorum and asked people to break up.

«After questioning the witness, the defense interceded to interrogate Smirnov Zaur Ruslanovich as a witness, who attended the Mejlis meeting on February 25. As the Mejlis deputy chairman, he was charged with interacting with the regional and local Mejlis offices and also participated in the events on 26 February. Moreover, it was obvious during the investigation of material evidence, Zaur Smirnov gestured with his hands nevertheless it was incriminated to Akhtem Chiygoz. And it was pointed out that gestures were understandable only to the Mejlis supporters», Nikolay Polozov said.

As lawyer noted, the defense intends to «interrogate Smirnov on a wide range of issues», but the court did not decide to summon Zaur Smirnov as a witness and announced «a break at the petition consideration stage”.

Earlier the website «15 minutes» reported, the occupational court did not allow Akhtem Chiygoz to see his seriously ill mother in Crimea.