The Russians were detained, February 19, on suspected involvement in the assassination of Zelimkhan Yandarbiev of the Chechen separatist top.
Yandarbiev, who had spent the three preceding years in Qatar, died in Doha, February 13, in a blast of his boobytrapped Toyota Land Cruiser.
"Torture is never made in public. The defence is painstakingly collecting evidence, and has some for today," said Mr. Afanasyev. He refused to offer the entire evidence to have it in store for the next investigation stage.
The defendants had mentioned torture to the law court, and demonstrated dog bites to the judge. Characteristically, they made complaints identical to each other's, though they had no chance of mutual communication, added the lawyer.
Red Cross officers were allowed to see the suspects, March 28. They had all their medical equipment taken away at the cell door. "What did they [prison authorities] want to conceal?" the barrister meaningfully asked.
He intends to advise his clients to bring a criminal suit against one Colonel Dawi, investigation chief involved in tortures.
"I shall call my clients to complain unless the Qatari court duly delves into the matter," said Dmitri Afanasyev. The issue had already been posed to the court, and Russian spokesmen will do it again during pleadings.
"What I recommend will depend on what Qatari courtroom consideration of the matter comes to. I hope the court will be brave enough to take it up at one of the hearings." The suspects are in tolerable conditions now, unlike the first few days of their detention. "My clients are full of stamina-they are aware of moral support from their lawyers and the Russian consul, who is attending to the case literally round the clock." As Mr. Afanasyev stressed once again, the suspects are certainly innocent, and their arrest in Qatar was illegal. The men were in Qatar to install safety equipment in a Russian legation. The defendants said so in their statements, and evidence the investigators have collected bears out the point.
