| 20.05.2005 License to kill In yesterday’s editorial The Chechen Times assured that Ulman’s intelligence group, which killed six Chechen civilians, was likely to be sentenced, although we suggested that their prison term would be quite comfortable. We were wrong. The jury acquitted the group of Ulman’s murderers once again. For the second time. “Innocent on all charges” – the jury ruled. The presiding jury member Stanislav Zhidkov called the verdict “clear” and “consistent.” The jury unanimously said that t he persecution had failed to prove the guilt of the defendants in full. Although the defendants told in detail how they opened fire at the vehicle, how they killed the wounded, how they burnt their bodies trying to imitate “an explosion.” They were considered innocent and can proceed with their duty… How can such idea occur to anyone? Six civilians were killed. Two elderly village teachers, a forester, a pregnant woman accompanied by her nephew and a driver. When Ulman and his men killed those who survived, they knew these people had nothing to do with rebels. According to the GRU group, it became clear after they searched the vehicle. In fact, they knew from the very beginning they opened fire not at “Khattab’s men”: the vehicle could not “move at a great speed” in winter time, even in summer 50 km/h is a suicide. Only a suicide would have dared not to stop after the military gave a warning burst. Ulman and his men are telling lies. They opened fire from an ambush because they knew they would never be punished in case of “a mistake.” That is what happened in the past, they also did it, and Ulman’s colleagues of extrajudicial executions do it today. We have already spoke about it… What’s now? What would we like to tell today? There is nothing to tell about. After such verdict by the jury it seems the entire world has lost the idea of cool judicial logic, but even human appearance. During the trial the group of Ulman’s killers did not repent even for a moment and the jury – common people, whose task is to say whether or not the murder of six civilians was a crime -–considered them completely innocent. Not far away from Rostov-on-Don, Nurpashi Kulayev is being tried in Vladikavkaz – the only alive terrorist from the group which seized a school in Beslan. Be sure: Kulayev will get a tough sentence. During the investigation he repeatedly said he had had no idea of where he was taken, he did not shoot, and he repented it. Yesterday, when the prosecution read out its document, he lost consciousness. Kulayev and Ulman are from the same war. Kulayev’s crime is evident, the guilt of Ulman is “fulfillment of military duty and orders from above,” and he cannot be tried for it. Today’s Russian cannot but be proud of such people as Ulman! What he and his men did and how the jury interpreted it – is “the new national idea” obtained by Putin’s country. Indeed, the jury acquitted not concrete butchers. They acquitted their attitude to the Chechens: old, young, men, women. According to the jury, killing civilians is not a crime, that means all the Chechens are guilty – even unborn children. From now on this a legal rule. This rule existed before, but now – turning into a legal precedent, Russia has issued its sadists in Chechnya a license to mass killings. The second verdict of “not guilty” was announced yesterday, and today the Russian society is not going to express indignation at it. The authorities and the society showed that they agree with the verdict and openly blessed the army to genocide again. The Chechen Times http://www.chechentimes.org/en/comments/?id=29082 |