Today Kilemarskiy regional court of the Rebublic of Mariy El started proceedings on the case that is taken up by the multiregional NGO “Committee against Torture” and Yoshkar-Ola organization “Man and Law”. A police officer is accused of beating Irina Vinogradova living in the Republic of Mariy El. In July 2007 the woman was battered by district police officer of Vizimirskiy district police department of Mariy El Alexey Sharafutdinov. The preliminary investigation showed that Sharafutdinov detained Vinogradova on the street in a

village of Vizimyar Kalemarskiy region of Mariy El, took her to the police department and savagely battered. Alexey Sharafutdinov is charged with violation of c. “a”, part 3 of article 286 of the RF Criminal Code (abuse of powers with violent treatment). At present the officer is not allowed to leave the country. Sharafutdinov partly admits his guilt. The victim and three witnesses have been already interrogated during the trial.