Titiyev's defense seeks to move trial from Chechnya to another region - Memorial
MOSCOW. July 3 (Interfax) - A preliminary court hearing in the criminal case against the head of the Chechen office of the Memorial human rights center, Oyub Titiyev, on drug charges was delayed until July 9 over the defense's motion that the case be tried in a different region, Memorial's press service said.
"The court session was postponed until July 9," the press service told Interfax on Tuesday.
The delay was due to a motion filed by Titiyev's lawyers with the Supreme Court to move the court hearings "to another region, for instance, to Moscow," it said.
"Until this petition has been considered, the Shali City Court cannot begin court proceedings," the press service said.
The preliminary session, where the court was expected to set a date for further hearings and authorize motions filed by the litigating parties was originally scheduled for July 3.
Titiyev has been charged with possession of a large amount of drugs.
He denies all wrongdoing and maintains that the drugs were planted on him. He was placed under arrest on January 11.