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Abstract from the report on the session related to the murder of Farid Babayev

PACE 2008 ORDINARY SESSION
Fourth Sitting
Tuesday 22 January 2008 at 3 p.m.

The State Duma elections in the Russian Federation on 2nd December 2007, and the pre-election campaign, were not fair and failed to meet commitments and standards set by the Council of Europe. The parliamentary election observers were clear in their criticisms, which included the widely-reported harassment of opposition parties.

The murderers of Farid Babayev, the leader of the Dagestan branch of YABLOKO, can be released

Press Release, December 25, 2009

The relatives of leader of Dagestan YABLOKO and human rights activist Farid Babayev murdered in 2007, expressed their concern that the defendants had been ruining the case and that the killers would get freedom soon. The key witness of the plaintiffs who had seen the killer suddenly retracted his testimony.

On January 20, 2009, the Supreme Court of Dagestan ruled out that Rasil Mamedrizayev, a citizen of Dagestan, was guilty of murder and sentenced him to 16 years of imprisonment. The second of the culprits Seferali Sefemerzoyev accused of complicity in the murder was acquitted.The plaintiffs appealed this decision in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. The barrister of Mamedrizayev also appealed the decision demanding acquittal for his client. On June 4, 2009, the Supreme Court of Russia abrogated the previous decision and send the case to the Supreme Court of Dagestan to a new trial by a new composition of the court.

The only witness who gave testimony in the case under a fictitious name of Telman Akayev had seen the murderer running from the site of the crime with a gun in his hand. The witness memorized the face of the killer and pointed at Mamedrizayev during the investigation. Akayev confirmed his testimony at one of the trials standing behind the screen. After that the barrister of the accused Suleiman Azuyev threatened the witness stating that he and his relatives are well-known to the defendants. Despite multiple applications to the court the Investigation Committee of the Public Prosecutor’s Office failed to provide steadfast protection to the witness. The witness missed several sessions of the court and later there emerged information that he left for Uzbekistan together with his family.

The Supreme Court of Dagestan appoints new trial on Farid Babayev’s case on August 25

Press Release, August 12, 2009

On August 11 Dagestan’s Supreme Court appointed on August 25 a new trial on the murder of Farid Babayev, leader Dagestan YABLOKO and candidate to the Deputy of the State Duma.

Earlier on January 20, 2009, the Supreme Court of Dagestan ruled out that Rasil Mamedrizayev was guilty of the murder of Farid Babayev sentencing him to 16 years of imprisonment. The court acquitted the second accomplice Seferali Sefemerzoyev.

The Russian Supreme Court overturns the ruling of a lower court on the murder of the leader of the Dagestani branch of YABLOKO

Press Release, June 4, 2009

Today the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has overturned a lower court's ruling on the murder of Farid Babayev, the leader of the Dagestani branch of the YABLOKO party and candidate to the State Duma from YABLOKO.

Supreme Court orders retrial of murder of Yabloko's Dagestani branchleader

Interfax, 09:32 GMT, Jun 04, 2009

MOSCOW. June 4 (Interfax) - The Russian Supreme Court has overturned a lower court's ruling on the murder of Farid Babayev, the leader of the Dagestani branch of the Yabloko party.

Politician dies after attack in Dagestan

Russia Today, 24 November, 2007, 08:13

The leader of the Yabloko party in Dagestan has died in hospital following an assassination attempt on Wednesday. Farid Babayev fell into a coma after he was shot outside his house in the republic's capital Makhachkala. Yabloko's party leader, Grigory Yavlinsky, claims the murder was politically motivated.

Russian opposition parliamentary candidate seriously wounded

Pravda.ru November 22, 2007 05:31

AP. Ahead of Russia's Dec. 2 national parliamentary elections, a candidate for an opposition party was shot and seriously wounded by an unknown gunman. Farid Babayev, a candidate from liberal politician Grigory Yavlinsky's Yabloko party, was shot late Wednesday in the entranceway of his apartment building in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, regional Interior Ministry spokesman Mark Tolchinsky said.

Party leader gunned down in Dagestan

Russia Today, 21 November, 2007, 23:50

A political leader has been seriously injured in an apparent assassination attempt in Russia's southern republic of Dagestan. Farid Babayev has been taken to hospital with gunshot wounds. His condition is said to be critical and he is currently undergoing surgery. Babayev is the leader of the Yabloko political party's local branch.

Russian opposition election candidate shot

Reuters, Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:24pm EST

MOSCOW (Reuters) - An opposition politician running in Russian parliamentary elections was shot and seriously wounded on Wednesday as he entered his house in the southern Russian region of Dagestan, Russian media reported. Farid Babayev, who will lead the regional list for the liberal anti-Kremlin Yabloko party was in a serious condition in hospital, RIA novosti news agency reported after an unidentified gunman fired on him in the regional capital Makhachkala.