Family of border murder suspect disagree with official version

Vladislav Chelakh, suspected of murdering 14 fellow militarymen at Arkankergen border post met with his grandfather and mother on June 9 in Usharal town of Almaty oblast. After the meeting Vladislav’s grandfather, Vladimir Chelakh, talked to the journalists, Tengrinews.kz reports. Vladislav’s mother, Svetlana Vaschenko and his grandfather Vladimir Chelakh arrived in Almaty on June 9. Vladislav Chelakh’s family is planning to request an independent investigation. “The first thing I will do is I will request an independent investigation, so that all the heads of this border post testify to media. I don’t believe that these people said the whole truth about my grandson,” Vladimir Chelakh said. “There was no pressure on him during the investigation. He was depressed before he was transported here. He is confused. I convinced him to change the testimony, as these scoundrels who scared him (into testifying) deserve no mercy. I think he will change the testimony. He told me: “I didn’t do this”. He was left alive purposefully to be made a scapegoat in these murders. Mr. Galinov has been appointed his public defender. The commander stated that the issue of inter-ethnic and religious hatred has not been raised for several years. Should there have been any inter-ethnic hatred, the parents of the murdered fellow militarymen would not be calling me every day and asking me to do everything possible to help free Vladislav. Everyone is shocked,” he said. Chelakh’s mother and grandfather spent several hours in the military unit before been able to meet with Vladislav. Answering the question on what took them so long, the grandfather said: “Investigation was underway… he was testifying, they could not interrupt it, as some of the documents had to be signed. We were not talk about anything, we were just waiting for the prosecutor, because we needed the prosecutor’s sanction to see Vladislav,” Vladimir Chelakh said. Vladimir Chelakh also gave the details of his 15-minute meeting with his grandson. “He was brought to the meeting room. We hugged and kissed him. He talked to his mother first, then I entered the room. I convinced his mother not to follow the emotions, as he would not behave properly if he saw his mother crying. I told him: “My dear son, don’t be scared of anything, the public supports your cause.” And then I saw tears in his eyes,” he said. Earlier Tengrinews.kz English reported that Vladislav Chelakh confessed of killing 14 of his fellow servicemen at Arkankergen frontier post on May 30, blaming internal conflicts and mental breakdown for the tragedy.