Andrey Mochalin from Vyksa (Nizhny Novgorod region) applied to interregional non-governmental organization «The Committee for Prevention of Torture» for legal assistance and reported that on 5 December of last year he was beaten up by the Vyksunsky City Department of the Interior police officers, after that he was taken to hospital with severe traumas. Human rights defenders initiated a public investigation based on the Mochalin’s complaint.
(Photo: Andrey Mochalin in hospital)
According to Andrey, on 5 December 2015 around 5 p.m. he and his friend went to the grocery store. When he was near the shop two police officers apprehended him and took him to their service vehicle.
«At that moment I did not have any bodily injuries and did not complain of any health issues. The police officers took me to the district hospital in order to subject me to the medical examination to check alcoholic intoxication; however I refused to pass it. After that the police officers used special equipment against me – they handcuffed me. I was again taken to the service vehicle and transported to the Vyksunsky City Department of the Interior. When we were in the premises of the police dispatch center, one of the police officers who escorted me suddenly hit me on back of my head. I lost balance and fell on the floor, after that the police officers started to kick me using feet and rubber truncheons, hitting my arms and body no less than 10 times. In addition to two patrol officers people in civilian clothes took active part in the battery. I lost consciousness, and when I came to my senses, the police officers were dragging me along the floor. The police officers took me to the neighboring room, continued to kick and hit me, as a result of this I lost consciousness again. At that evening ambulance was called twice for me at the police department», – Andrey Mochalin recalls.
On the next day the justice of the peace sentenced Mochalin to three days of arrest for declining medical examination. After Andrey was taken to the Temporary Containment Cell of the Vyksa Department of the Interior, the police duty officer noticed that the delivered person felt bad and called for an ambulance. Having examined him, the doctor gave him an injection. In the morning of 7 December, due to the fact that Mochalin’s health state aggravated, the medical team was called again. According to Andrey, the arrived ambulance doctor told the Temporary Containment Cell personnel: «Guys, he is dying, I’m taking him away from you!».
Andrey was urgently taken to the District Hospital where he was hospitalized at the surgery department and subjected to surgery. According to the discharge summary at entry to the Vyksa Central District Hospital Andrey Mochalin was diagnosed with: «Blunt intraabdominal injury, large intestine necrosis, acute renal failure, intestinal bleeding without a revealed source, severe anemia».
For 25 days after the surgery Mochalin stayed in hospital for inpatient treatment.
«Back in December of last year Andrey’s mother applied to the Investigative Committee; however, until now Mochalin has not received a final procedural decision based on the results of the pre-investigation check. We also applied to the local investigative department with a motion to familiarize ourselves with the progress of the crime report check, however, we once again have faced the authorities of the Vyksa Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the RF for the Nizhny Novgorod region interfering with the familiarization. I would like to point out that previously the court several times declared the actions of this investigative authority to be illegal. We had to go to court this time, as well. We also initiated our own public investigation, in the course of which we already questioned a number of witnesses», – lawyer of the Committee for Prevention of Torture Evgeny Chilokov said.