Russian court to review schoolgirl murder case

The Supreme Court of Tatarstan on Monday will begin review of the criminal case over the murder of Vasilisa Galitsyna, 8, a resident of the town of Naberezhnye Chelny. The case will be considered by a jury at the defendant's request, senior aide to the director of the regional department of the Investigative Committee Elvira Gazizova told Itar-Tass. The defendant is Farukh Tashbayev, a 30-year-old native of Uzbekistan. He is accused of abduction, sexual abuse of a minor, rape and murder of a minor. Second form pupil Vasilisa Galitsyna did not return home on February 2. Her mother reported her disappearance to police. On February 6, the girl was found slain. Tashbayev has been in custody.