About the case: The case was initiated against 24 individuals from the “Azov” battalion (a terrorist organization forbidden in Russia [we are obligated by the Russian law to write this, ed. note]), nine of them being women, with two others exchanged before the start of the trial. The defendants are accused under Article 278 of the Criminal Code – violent seizure of power or violent retention of power, as well as Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code – organizing the activities of a terrorist organization and participating in the activities of such an organization. Several defendants are charged under Article 205.3 of the Criminal Code – training for terrorist activities.
The case is being considered by the three-judge panel, presided by Judge Vyacheslav Alexeevich Korsakov of the Southern Military District Court.
The session was scheduled for 10:00. The defense was allowed into the courtroom at 10:15. The press entered at 10:30. Defendant Ishchenko fell ill, and an ambulance was called.
Relatives were allowed in at 11:45. The session resumed at 12:24.
Due to the absence of attorney Kasenkov, he was replaced by attorney Anisimov. The prosecution and defendants did not object.
It was reported that two defendants – Labitsky and Kosatkin – were absent. The prosecution expressed a desire to conduct the trial in absentia.
The judge began questioning each defendant: whether they understood the charges, admitted guilt, and their stance on the accusations.
Some defendants had difficulty hearing when the judge asked questions. Responses regarding admitting guilt were divided between denying guilt and deciding to answer later. No one pleaded guilty.
A witness was called on the initiative of the prosecution. The judge read her rights. The witness is one of the defendant’s and is a common-law wife. The witness stated that she was not feeling well and wanted to postpone her testimony until the next hearing.
13:00: A break was announced, at 14:00 it was decided to organize a video call with a witness from the Donetsk People’s Republic.
At 14:20 the hearing resumed, the prosecutor stated that it was impossible to organize a video link with the witness, as he did not appear.
The defense of Mogitich filed a motion to dismiss the criminal case. When it was announced, the defense attorney and the judge had a misunderstanding. When the judge asked the defense attorney specific questions, he repeated what the other defense attorneys had told him.
The court denied the motion because it was not supported by evidence and it was attached to the criminal case materials.
One of the defendants filed a motion to waive appointed counsel – the judge denied it, stating that it would delay the timing of the proceedings.
The prosecutor reads the case file of each defendant. The judge does not let him finish and announces that the case will be continued to the next hearing.
