A division of three professional judges chaired by judge Rassolova announced the verdict to two officers from the Balakhna Directorate of the Interior charged with abuse of powers. Lawyer of the Committee against Torture Irina Migachyova represented the interests of one of the victims, Mr. Alexander Marychev.

 Photo: victim Marychev is taken to the court room.  

You may remember that the policemen were charged with a number of alleged acts of torture. According to the investigators, they systematically applied unlawful investigation methods when dealing with detainees. There were five victims altogether under this case.

At 7 p.m. on 21 November the verdict was pronounced. The defendants were found guilty: Andrey Sermavbrin – under p.3, cl.”a” of art.286, 3 years of imprisonment (the sentence has been suspended), Konstantin Shapovalov  – under p.3, cl.”a”, “b” of art.286 of the RF Criminal Code, 4 years of imprisonment in a standard security penal colony. It should be mentioned that the officers have plead guilty only partially and will appeal against the verdict in the order of cassation.

Photo: convicts Sermavbrin and Shapovalov.

Photo: convict Shapovalov is detained in the courtroom.

Photo: Investigator Dmitry Utukin from the Committee against Torture makes a statement for mass media after the hearing.

The victim and lawyers of the Committee against Torture are satisfied with the judgment. Soon specialists of the Committee will prepare a claim for damages.