Three police officers from Balakhna who confessed to torturing their detainees are fired.

    Today lawyers of the Committee against Torture got a message from the Personnel department of the  Department of Internal Affairs of Nizhny Novgorod region saying that three investigating officers from the Balakhna office – Mr. N.Kryukov, Mr.A.Sermavbrin and Mr.K.Shapovalov were fired from the law enforcement bodies because their actions disparage the honour of police officers.

You may remember that earlier the Balakhna court changed the charge from cl.”а”, “b” p. 3 art. 286 of the RF Criminal Code to a less severe charge under p.1 art.  285. After that the policemen immediately plead guilty and the court stopped the proceedings due to «active repentance».

Specialists of the Committee against Torture who represent legal interests of the citizens battered by these officers consider this ruling of the Balakhna court unlawful and are going to press for re-initiation of the proceedings against the dismissed policemen.

At the same time the attitude of the Personnel department of the Department of Internal Affairs inspires respect. The Committee against Torture compliments the decision of high-standing police officials to free law enforcement bodies of Balakhna from people who put a spur on the honour of the police.