Today, adjudication on Alexey Yakimov’s case was postponed till 9 a.m. of July 22, 2010 on the grounds that federal judge Pyryev “does not have time for anything”. Besides, hearing of the case about Alexey Yakimov’s beat-up by the police was conducted in camara in breach of all procedural norms.
Today at 9.30 in the Nizhegorodsky district court of Nizhny Novgorod, judge Pyryev was supposed to listen to the defendants’ last statements and, after that, pronounce the verdict under the criminal case against two officers of the 5th police department of the Directorate of the Interior for Nizhny Novgorod -Timofeyev and Koreguin who are charged with torturing Alexey Yakimov in spring 2009.
A few minutes before the hearing Mr. Pyryev told the mass media representatives that there would be no announcement of the verdict that day.
When Kirill Antonevich, associate editor of NNTV television company asked judge Pyryev to allow the camera crew to be present during the open and public hearing, everyone in the corridor perfectly well heard Mr. Pyryev shouting that “he would not let anyone in and would not tolerate mass media in the courtroom”.
Then, in breach of all procedural norms, federal judge Pyryev ordered to lock the doors leaving numerous mass media representatives behind the door and started the hearing. During the session, defendant Koreguin made his last statement. After that the date of the verdict delivery was appointed – July 22, 2010. According to Mr. Pyryev, adjudication was postponed because “he did not have time for anything”.
So, federal judge, vice-president of the Nizhegorodsky district court of Nizhny Novgorod Pyryev has conducted an in camara hearing today without adopting a corresponding resolution on closing the hearing. Thus, Mr. Pyryev has gravely violated the RF Constitution, as well as art. 241 of the RF Criminal Procedure Code.
Specialists of the Interregional Committee Against Torture representing victim Yakimov think that such actions of the judge discredit the idea of independent open proceedings and undermine the authority of the judiciary as a whole. The Committee lawyers believe that today’s behaviour of judge Pyryev should be considered by the Qualifications Board of Nizhny Novgorod region.