Russia: Witness in Budanov murder case says he was kidnapped, beaten

Publisher	Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Publication Date	11 February 2013
Cite as	Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Russia: Witness in Budanov murder case says he was kidnapped, beaten, 11 February 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/512235e219.html [accessed 21 May 2023]
Disclaimer	This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 11, 2013

Ethnic Chechen Yusup Temerkhanov is accused of killing former Russian Army Colonel Yury Budanov

A witness in the case against the alleged killer of former Russian Army Colonel Yury Budanov reportedly says he was kidnapped and beaten by police.

Murad Musayev, a lawyer for the defendant, said the witness, Ruslan Fataliyev, was abducted on February 9.

The lawyer stated that the kidnappers demanded Fataliyev "confess" to receiving money to falsely testify in court.

Last month, investigators launched a probe against another lawyer in the case, saying she bribed Fataliyev.

Fataliyev has changed his description of the killer and now says the defendant does not look like the man who shot Budanov.

Budanov, the convicted murderer of a Chechen girl, was shot dead in Moscow in 2011, two years after he was released on parole from prison.

Budanov's alleged killer, Yusup Temerkhanov, went on trial in December. He pleaded not guilty.

Based on reporting by Izvestia and ITAR-TASS