Nalchik/Agency
Caucasus
– The Russian Court of Appeals invalidated a decision made on January 14, 2008, by the High Court of Kabardino-Balkaria to close down the Balkar Council of Elders.
The Russian Court of Appeals found baseless the charges of extremism brought against the Balkar Council of Elders, and remitted the case for re-consideration.
Delighted to hear the Russian Court of Appeals ruling after the March 18 hearing, the Co-Chairs of the Balkar Council of Elders Ismail Sabanichev and Ruslan Babayev and Executive Chair of Board Oyus Gurtuyev said that their struggle would go on.
The Balkar Council of Elders appealed on January 28 to the Russian Court of Appeals.
It emerged in reaction to the introduction of the local administration bill that led some Balkar towns and villages to lose their status. It also accused the administration of not treating the Balkars equally and of not fulfilling its responsibilities to restore the rights to the Balkars after they were stripped off them during the 1944 exile. KU/ÖZ/FT
