Austrian Court Starts Trial Of Suspect In Killing Of Chechen Blogger - Reports

A court in the Austrian city of Korneuburg has started hearing in the case of the 2020 killing of Chechen blogger Martin Beck, Austrian newspaper Kurier reported on Friday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th August, 2021) A court in the Austrian city of Korneuburg has started hearing in the case of the 2020 killing of Chechen blogger Martin Beck, Austrian newspaper Kurier reported on Friday.

The trial is conducted with enhanced security measures, with photographing, videotaping and broadcasting disallowed in the courtroom and the suspect wearing a protective vest, according to the report.

The suspect, who has refused to plead guilty, is facing a life imprisonment if convicted, the newspaper reported.

A Russian citizen from the Chechen Republic, who sought asylum in Austria, was killed in a town near Vienna on July 4, 2020. Investigators have identified the victim as 43-year-old 43-year-old Mamikhan Umarov, also known as blogger Martin Beck. The Austrian police have detained two suspects, both Russian nationals of Chechen descent.