Defence lawyers allowed to examine MH17 wreckage
Defence lawyers for a Russian suspect on trial over the downing of air travel MH17 might be permitted to inspect the partially-recovered wreck of the passenger jet, Dutch judges ruled on Fri.
The judges granted the obtain after legal professionals for Oleg Pulatov, the just suspect out of four with legal representation, said they wished to probe alternative theories for the 2014 shooting down of the Malaysia Airlines plane.
Prosecutors and international investigators say the Boeing 777 was hit by a Russian-made BUK surface-to-atmosphere missile, killing all 298 people on board.
"The defence has an interest in having the capacity to test the scenario chosen by the general public Prosecution Program in the indictment that MH17 was shot down by a BUK," judge Hendrik Steenhuis said.
He ordered prosecutors to "supply the defence the possibility to go to the reconstruction of MH17... with a specialist they have chosen."
Investigators found in 2015 painstakingly come up with a partial reconstruction at a Dutch military oxygen base, using elements of the plane's wreckage recovered from war-torn eastern Ukraine.
Pulatov's lawyers mentioned "lots of folks who said the destruction pattern of MH17 displays traces of 1 of even more other weapons", Steenhuis said.
Russian officials have previously publicly supported identical theories a Ukrainian plane downed MH17 on the instant aftermath of the crash.
Steenhuis said once the wreck has been examined the expert would then be permitted to submit a record which could come to be scrutinised by Dutch army aviation specialists and prosecutors.
Prosecutors last month addressed the fighter aircraft theory, telling investigators examined radar info that showed no army aircraft in the area at the time.
In addition they said Russia had backed from the idea after admitting that radar facts appearing showing other planes nearby received in error.
Prosecutors argue the 4 males on trial were instrumental in bringing a good BUK surface-to-air missile system to Ukraine from it is original base found in Russia - regardless if they didn't pull the trigger.
Pulatov as well as fellow Russians Igor Girkin and Sergei Dubinsky and Ukrainian citizen Leonid Kharchenko have been charged by Dutch prosecutors with murder and triggering the crash.
The case was adjourned for the summertime and can resume on Aug 31. - AFP
