Applicant Stanislav Lebedev (photo), his representative from the Interregional Committee Against Torture and the prosecution find the suspended sentence awarded by judge Vinnitsky too lenient for the actions resulting in grave consequences for the victim’s health.

   Tomorrow at 10.00 a.m. the criminal division of the Nizhny Novgorod regional court will adjudicate on the cassation appeal filed by INGO “Committee Against Torture” against the verdict of Avtozavod district court judge Vinnitsky delivered on 7 September 2010 in respect of two policemen from the Avtozavod district of Nizhny Novgorod.

   Police officers Zhuravlyov and Ladin who had beaten 19-year old detainee Lebedev into losing his kidney were found guilty under  cl. “а”, p.3, art.286 of the RF Criminal Code (abuse of office with violent treatment); officer Ladin was also convicted under cl. “c”, p.3, art.286 of the RF Criminal Code (abuse of office with violent treatment causing grave consequences).

   Though the court acknowledged the fact of tortures in respect of M. Lebedev and even mentioned violation of Article 3 of the ECHR, as suggested by the Interregional Committee Against Torture, it awarded a rather lenient punishment – 3 years of imprisonment to captain Zhuravlyov and 5 years to warrant officer Ladin, the sentence was suspended with an arrest of judgment and disqualification from holding a public office.