Today the Civil Chamber of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Bashkortostan, having examined the appeal of the Federal Treasury, reduced the sum of compensation for non-pecuniary damage which should be paid out to Vladimir Bosov, a citizen of Bashkortostan who became a victim of torture by policemen.

    You may remember that on 29 May 2007 the Oktyabrsky City Court (the Republic of Bashkortostan) had awarded Vladimir Bosov 100,000 (one hundred thousand) roubles in compensation for non-pecuniary damage. By today’s decision of the Supreme Court this sum was reduced to 60,000 roubles. One may only guess why the court decided that “torture in Bashkortostan cost less”.

   Earlier Vladimir Bosov had applied to the Oktyabrsky City Prosecutor’s Office complaining against ill-treatment by policemen.

     The inquiry, carried out in respect of his application, resulted in a decision of refusal to open a criminal case. With support of Mr. Vladislav Sadykov, the regional coordinator of the NN Committee Against Torture in the Republic of Bashkortostan, he lodged a complaint against the decision and it was annulled as unlawful. On 2 May 2006 the prosecutor’s office opened a criminal case in respect of alleged violation of Article 286 §3 (a) of the RF Criminal Code (Abuse of official power associated with the use of violence or threat of it). In early October 2006 by a court’s decision the officer of the CID of the Oktyabrsky District Police Station who had beaten Vladimir Bosov was sentenced to 4 years’ conditional imprisonment on 2 years’ probation with a subsequent 2 years’ prohibition on serving in law enforcement agencies.

    The case of Vladimir Bosov is being supervised by the Office of the NN Committee Against Torture in the Republic of Bashkortostan, which is granting him legal aid.