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April 7. Who will be whipping boy?

Today the sentencing on April events has began in the court. Justice will put an end to high-profile criminal case concerning the bloody events of four years ago.

Since May 6, journalists and the public waited for verdict to the case of the participants of April 2010 events. On that day, the presiding judge at the trial Damir Onolbekov left to the jury room, and planed to go back in June and announce the verdict. However, in due time it turned out that one month is not enough to get acquainted with a huge criminal case, which consists of nearly 90 volumes. Sentencing was postponed twice, and finally the case studied, the point is specified. Everybody wonder, if the verdict will be fair and lawful or written under the dictation?

The court lasted more than four years. Everyone remembers how it began - under the hooting of crowd when there was no need to talk about justice and the desire to find out all the circumstances of the incident. It wasn't a trial but a shameful trial of officers; honestly perform military duty and oath. Former officials who held high positions during the reign of the former president also were at the dock defendants. Kurmanbek Bakiyev himself and his family - in particular, the brother Zhanysh and son Marat - tried in absentia.

Today "the day X" has come. The coartroom is overcrowded. Almost all relatives of those killed and wounded arrived. Looks like they're also tired of years of waiting and already agree on any decision.

"Whatever the verdict the judge Damir Onolbekov will rule, it should be taken. If it doesn't satisfy us, we appeal it legally. We will appeal. But don't defend your position through protests and rallies," the head of association of wounded on April 7 "Aikol Ala-Too" Meerbek Miskenbayev said before the verdict was announced.

Relatives of the victims also don't intend to organize protests. At least now they said it to journalists. Whether they are convinced that the verdict will be as they expect, or they really realized that not everything is as simple as we would like. Or maybe just tired of the protracted proceedings for years...

From the very beginning the trial was held under the dictation of the most aggressive of the relatives of the dead and wounded, accompanied by scandals, fights, insults, threats and attacks against the defendants and their lawyers. And from the very first session of the court it was obvious that the investigation was performed badly, it failed to get to the truth. Or didn't want to? Surface investigation and hasty transfer of the case to the court gave its fruit during the proceedings: a criminal case fell apart, and gaps surfaced at each meeting.

During the debate of the parties the protection of defendants stressed that on the dock are members and the "scapegoats" "appointed" by the interim government. The true culprits escaped the prosecution. The investigation, as the court did, also failed to prove the guilt of any of the defendants. Also, it couldn't answer the main question: Who shot the participants of the April events, when nearly 80 people were killed and over 300 people injured. "Neither one of them did it, moreover, don't even try. Investigation of the April 7 events held extremely bad, the file is full of contradictions and gaps," the debate lawyer of the defendants Ulan Dastan uluu said.

Then in court the reference was revealed, which was attached to the case. This piece of paper confirmed the guess of those who believed and believes that the April court to be representative and not having a goal to find the truth. Now everyone knows, how members of the interim government ordered the Prosecutor General's Office to pin the article "Murder" on the accused. And investigators did it, without investigation, without attempt to find the real killers of those guys who will never return home. State prosecution didn't even try to convince the court. It was silent. That is acknowledged that the temporary worker dictated how to run a business and the court?

And then the state prosecution asked for a considerable period for the most of the accused. And if "life" sentences for Kurmanbek and Janysh Bakiyev were predictable, it is unclear why prosecutors asked for 10 to 25 years for the military defending the Government House and the legitimate authority from the armed crowd of "peaceful protesters" at that time. Or 15 years in prison for ex-head of the Secretariat Oksana Malevanaya who hardly knows, or at least once was holding a weapon. Meanwhile, according to the investigators, she used a weapon, fired more than 77 people and wounded more than 300. Yeah, that is said in the "investigation". "Mass shooting peaceful rally participants," is recorded in volumes and materials of the case. What guided the representatives of the prosecution? So, obviously not the desire to restore the real picture of what happened.

The members of "Alfa" Special Forces, who are on the dock, are still serving. Yes! They guard the VIPs when they go to regions, rush to the epicenter of emergency situation - in general, continue to serve. Because they are liable for military service, they are under oath. And orders are not discussed.

This situation was so phantasmagoric that it's hard to explain to someone not from Kyrgyzstan how it is possible. People in uniform, now performing their duty as well as four years ago, charged that stood until the end, didn't discuss the orders, didn't run away, didn't tear off their shoulder boards...

All eyes are now focused on Damir Onolbekov. The fate of 28 accused is in his hands. Will the judge be able to impose a sentence in accordance with the law? Or be forced to announce his dictation of "favorites"? It is obvious that any solution of Justice will leave one of the parties disaffected. Perhaps the verdict, which would suit and the defendants and victims, doesn't exist. But someone will be a whipping boy. Who?