On 30 December 2015, the Novotroitskiy City Court started the criminal trial with regards to the former head of the Penal Colony Settlement No.11 Filyus Khousainov. He is charged with crime under item «а» part 3 Article 286 of the Crimnal Code of the RF «Abuse of office performed using violence or threatening with violence». Lawyers of the Committee for Prevention of Torture, conducting the public investigation of this case, will be representing the interests of victim Sergey Nikonorov, who is serving the sentence in this penal institution, in court.
(Photo: Filyus Khousainov, source: http://тюрьма56.рф)
As we have previously reported, according to Sergey Nikonorov, who had served a sentence in Penal Colony No.11 before, head of this penal institution Filyus Khusainov used threats and creating unbearable conditions to force him and other convicts to perform construction works at his summer cottage (we wrote about this case).
Despite the fact that the criminal case related to abuse of office was initiated back in April of last year, the active stage of the investigation started only by summer of 2015 thanks to human rights defenders.
For example, for over two years the check of the testimonies was not conducted on site, but when the investigative team in the end was established in October 2015 in order to conduct this investigative activity, it met resistance from Khusainov’s subordinates, and a criminal case was initiated in this regard. In the end the investigative activity was conducted, victim Sergey Nikonorov showed in detail everything that he had previously reported to the investigation, as well as demonstrated the trace from the shot fired by Khusainov as a threat, forcing Sergey to work.
Lawyer of the Committee for Prevention of Torture Albina Mudarisova, victim Nikonorov’s representative: «A criminal trial is a result of many factors. It includes the compelling stand of victim Sergey Nikonorov, whose will was tested with violence and threats, and persistent work of human rights defenders, who step by step succeeded that the criminal case was opened, then – its suspension was quashed, necessary investigative activities were conducted, and the work of the investigator, who himself suffered from illegal actions of the Penal Colony Settlement officers during conducting investigative activities. I would also like to mention the convicts, who reported being subjected to physical violence and humiliation by Penal Colony Settlement No.11 officers, in relation to whom the investigative authorities have not yet collected the full scope of evidence».
(Sergey Nikonorov and Vyacheslav Dyundin)
Member of the Committee for Prevention of Torture Vyacheslav Dyundin, who will represent the interests of Sergey Nikonorov in court: «I cannot but point out a case which is very rare nowadays. Investigator Konstantin Kaskin conducted the investigation in full accordance with the requirements of the European Convention – quickly, objectively, independently, thus proving that human rights can and must be defended not only in Europe, but also in Russia».