Photo: Emil Dadashov in the Nizhegorodskiy district court of Nizhny Novgorod.

    This morning the Nizhegorodskiy district court of Nizhny Novgorod chaired by judge Pyryev continued hearings under the criminal case against police lieutenant Sergey Biryukov from the Nizhegorodskiy district Directorate of the Interior charged under cl. “a”, “b” p.3 art. 286 of the RF CC (abuse of powers with violent treatment).

Biryukov is accused of severe battery of Emil Dadashov, citizen of Azerbaijan, at night on 31 March 2008.

Thanks to the efforts of the Committee against Torture, where Mr. Dadashov had applied for help, the prosecutor’s office finally started a criminal case upon the fact of alleged abuse of powers.  The victim’s interests are represented by lawyer Yuriy Sidorov from the Committee against Torture.

The preliminary investigation showed that defendant Biryukov had acted intentionally, contrary to his duties, without an order issued by his heads and abusing his powers; he got into the cell for administrative detainees where Mr. Dadashov was kept. When Mr. Dadashov refused to give the officer a cigarette, the latter kicked him once on the body and hit him on the head with his head.

Today the court questioned three prosecution witnesses who confirmed their testimonies and the victim’s statements regarding battery by officer Biryukov.

The next court hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. on 17 February. It is expected that several witnesses, colleagues of the accused, will be questioned.

The Committee against Torture invites mass media to hearings under this case.

Press-service

Of the Committee against Torture