Today we have learnt that the Investigation Committee has opened criminal proceedings on the allegations of Anton Saveykin’s (b.1987) murder committed by officers of the Bashkirian Directorate of the Federal Drug Control Service.

On 11 September 2008 in Oktyabrskiy (Bashkiria) special forces of the Federal Drug Control Service conducted a special operation in order to detain some Mr. P. suspected of drugs possession. The officers brought down desultory fire as a result of which Mr. Anton Saveykin who appeared to be nearby was fatally wounded. Besides, one of the bullets hit a bus, and it was a happy coincidence that no one else was injured.

Photo: Anton Saveykin’s car after the shooting.

Anton’s parents applied to the Committee against Torture for help.

Having conducted a public investigation, specialists of the Bashkirian representation of the Committee against Torture concluded that state representatives had violated art.2 (right to life) and art.3 (prohibition of torture) of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

The Investigation Committee three times refused to initiate a criminal case, but after the Committee lawyers filed several complaints about inaction of the investigation authorities, the Oktyabrskiy Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Bashkirian Investigation Committee finally started criminal proceedings under p. 2 art.  109 of the RF Criminal Code (“manslaughter due to negligent performance of official responsibilities”).

Lawyers of the Committee against Torture will represent the parents of the deceased young man in court and will initiate proceedings to obtain a just compensation of the damage incurred by the special forces’ actions.