On March 11 INGO “Committee Against Torture” has received an application claiming police abuse from Nizhny Novgorod Civil Council member Oleg Silvestrov.

According to Oleg, he was abused upon detention during the Procession “For Fair Elections” which took place on March 10, 2012. A Special Police Task Force officer kicked Silvestrov in the chest during detention, then the police started throwing him up and letting fall on the ground. Being afraid for his life and health, Silvestrov crept under a bus. The police pulled him from under the bus and hit at least three times on the head, then placed him in the bus. Silvestrov was taken to police department no.5 under the Directorate of the Interior for Nizhny Novgorod region, where it took him long to persuade the police to call in an ambulance which took him to Nizhny Novgorod Clinical Hospital no.39. He was diagnosed with a concussion and an abrasion on the face.  At present Silvestov is undergoing in-patient treatment.

On March 11 the Nizhny Novgorod Civil Council representative lodged a crime report with the Nizhegorodsky District Investigative Department of the Investigative Administration of the Russian Investigative Committee for Nizhny Novgorod region.

The Committee Against Torture notes that Oleg Silvestrov is the only victim of the massive detention of March 10, 2012 who has succeed in applying for help. Others are still (as of 17:30, March 11) unlawfully detained near the Nizhegorodsky District Office of Judges of the Peace. The Committee Against Torture supposes that other detainees may as well apply for help later.