Pavel Popovskih confessed to the murder of journalist Kholodov under pressure of investigators

The principal accused of journalist Dmitry Kholodov murder colonel Pavel Popovskih said on trial that he had been forced to confess, because his health was under the threat. During a questioning he stressed that while he was in prison, his health became worse and he needed to be cured and operated on, “Interfax” reports. According to the accused, the interrogators demanded confession in exchange for medical treatment. “As a result, - he said, - I was forced to give testimony, restored my health and rejected my testimony afterwards”. In this connection Popovskih asked the court to exclude all his testimonies given in the period within February and October 1998, that is to say, from the time he was imprisoned. Popovskih also noted that the interrogators failed to prove that the trotyl block - the material for the blasting assembly - and the fuse had been stolen from 45th regiment disposition. The colonel said that he had met Dmitry Kholodov only two times on official business. The court announced a break until 11 a.m. December 4.