Chechen Supreme Court keeps Memorial activist Titiyev under arrest until Dec 9
MOSCOW. July 27 (Interfax) - The Supreme Court of Chechnya has upheld the decision to prolong the arrest of Oyub Titiyev, the head of the regional office of Memorial who has been charged with drug possession, until December 9, Memorial's press service said.
"The decision of the Shali City Court prolonging Oyub's arrest is upheld. The defense lawyers' appeals are declined," the press service told Interfax.
Lawyers had asked for the prolongation of the arrest to be reversed and for Titiyev to be released from custody. They said specific factual grounds had not been given when the pre-trial restriction was determined. Further, the prosecutors did not say how a softer pre-trial restriction would interfere with the court proceedings, Pyotr Zaikin, a lawyer for Titiyev, said in court.
According to the final version of the charge, Titiyev is charged with possessing a large amount of drugs.
According to investigators, Titiyev purchased at least 207.84 grams of cannabis at a place and time not established during the investigation, but no later than 10:47 a.m. on January 9, 2018, without intending to sell it.
The drugs were found in his car during a search on January 9.
Titiyev denies any wrongdoing and insists the drugs were planted on him. He has been under arrest since January 11. The court began hearing the case on July 20. Two hearings in which 13 witnesses were questioned have now been held. The next is scheduled for August 1.