In Orenburg a criminal case is opened based on the fact of the battery of “Kylya Sovetov” football club fans by law enforcement officers on 2 September. The case is initiated with regard to the crime under item “a”, Part 3, Article 286 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“abuse of office using violence”). Lawyers with the Committee for the Prevention of Torture will be representing the interests of one of the fans.
As we have previously reported, on 2 September of this year in Orenburg in the framework of the 11th Tour of the National Football League a game between local team “Orenburg” and “Krylya Sovetov” from Samara took place. In the very end of the game an incident between the visitant football fans and law-enforcement officers occurred. That is how representatives of “Krylya Sovetov” football club representatives describe it on their official website: “Before the 89-th minute the reaction of law-enforcement and safety agencies remained adequate. Until a flare was lit and thrown. After this incident the police officers entered the guest sector and attempted to apprehend the troublemaker during the game right in the sector which contradicts to the Russian Sports Federation recommendations. Such behavior of law-enforcement officers provoked turmoil in the sector itself, after that the Police Special Force forced into it and put their truncheons to use. As a result a lot of fans got injured, including the ones who had nothing to do with the law violation”.
Numerous videos of the indecent were loaded in the Internet, one of them features law-enforcement officers putting the football fans faces against the wall with feet spread apart and kick them and beat them with truncheons. It is seen in the video record that the football fans did not offer resistance and did not attempt to flee.
Lawyers with the Committee for the Prevention of Torture, having examined these video records, came to a conclusion that the actions of the law-enforcement officers amount to violations of federal law “On Police”, as well as have traces of crime under Article 286 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“abuse of office using violence and special equipment”). Regarding this on 8 September human rights defenders applied to the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Orenburg region with a crime report.
On 11 September, human rights defenders also applied to the regional Investigative Department, but in the interests of a different victim – “Krylya Sovetov” fan Denis Belyanin.
(Denis Belyanin)
Denis Belyanin from Samara applied to the Committee for the Prevention of Torture for legal assistance on September, 6. He reported on what happened to him on 2 September at the Orenburg stadium: “After the law enforcement officers brought ne beyond the audience sector, they forced me to stand on my knees, press my head against the concrete wall and bring my arms behind my back. After some time I was told to stand up. When I started standing, they hit me from two sides with truncheons and feet. I felt strong pain and my feet became numb as a result of the beating”.
According to Belyanin, he and several fans from Samara were taken to the City Police Department where they were forced to stand with their head pressing against the wall, feet spread apart and arms behind their backs. According to Denis, he was released only after he signed a document stating that he had no claims against the police officers.
When he returned to Samara, Denis applied to City Clinical Hospital No.1 named after Pirogov, where the doctors registered “a bruise, a hematoma of the left ankle-joint and foot”.
Today lawyers with the Committee for the Prevention of Torture received a copy of ruling on initialing criminal proceedings with regard to the crime covered by item “a” part 3 Article 286 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“abuse of office using violence”).
“We are satisfied that, at last, the criminal case is opened. Now we will insist on the efficient investigation and declaring our applicant Denis Belyanin a victim”, – lawyer with the Committee for the Prevention of Torture, representing his interests, comments.