On 18 October 2010, the Kstovo City Investigation Department (Nizhny Novgorod region) granted Nikita Kaftasyev the status of victim in the context of the criminal case instigated on the allegations that a 17-year old teenager had been tortured in the Kstovo District Directorate of Internal Affairs. Criminal proceedings upon the fact of Nikita’s abuse were opened on 21 September 2010 after the youth’s mother applied to the Interregional Committee Against Torture.

The case was instigated in respect of the commander of the patrol and point-duty service company of the Kstovo district Directorate of Internal Affairs suspected of committing a crime under cl. «а» p. 3 art.286 of the RF Criminal Code (actions of an official clearly exceeding his powers incurring gross violation of human rights and legal interests committed with the use of violence).

 Nikita Kaftasyev’s mother applied to the Interregional Committee Against Torture claiming that in the evening on August 31 her son and his friend Roman Vaulin had been detained by the police in the street for no reason. Then the teens were cruelly beaten, in particular, one of the officers repeatedly kicked Nikita in the groin. In the morning Nikita, wearing blood-stained clothes, was taken home by children’s officer of the Kstovo district Directorate of Internal Affairs Natalia Ryabinina. Nikita’s mother claims that Ms. Ryabinina demanded that the boy’s relatives should write a note stating that they had no claims against the police, but they refused to do so.

Nikita Kaftasyev was immediately taken to hospital and had an urgent surgery.