Military Crimes In Chechnya To Go Before Military Tribunals

The ruling comes after a jury outside Chechnya acquitted four Russian commandoes accused of killing six Chechen civilians.

The acquittal of Captain Eduard Ulman and three subordinates sparked public outrage in Chechnya, where rights advocates and many Chechens say Russian forces act with impunity.

Chechen President Alu Alkhanov turned to the Constitutional Court to rule on the legality of Ulman's jury trial. The case has been appealed and will now be heard by a military tribunal.

Trial by jury is to be introduced in Chechnya next year.

(ITAR-TASS, Interfax, AP)