The Interregional Committee against Torture invites mass media to the press-conference

”The Antonovs and the investigation authorities – how torture complaints are investigated in Nizhny Novgorod”

On 3 February 2009 the Committee against Torture received an application from Nizhny Novgorod citizens Ms. Olga Antonova and Mr. Viktor Antonov claiming that at night on 1-2 January 2009 they had been abused by officers of the Moskovskiy district Department of the Interior. The spouses were first battered and later taken to the police station. The police did not prepare any procedural documents upon detention. The consequence of communication with the police for Olga Antonova was a nose bone contusion, and for her husband – closed craniocerebral injury. The investigation bodies started working with the Antonovs’ application only on 3 February 2009. On 13 February 2009 the Moskovskiy district Investigation Department of the Investigation Administration of the Investigation Committee under the RF Prosecutor’s Office refused to start a criminal case under the Antonovs’ application on the allegations of police abuse. Besides, on the basis of reports prepared by the police officers who had participated in the incident, a criminal case was started against Olga and Viktor under art. 318 and 319 of the RF Criminal Code.  

Address:  IA ROSBALT (24 Rozhdestvenskaya Street, Nizhny Novgorod).

Beginning at 11.00 a.m.

Participants: 

Olga Viktorovna Antonova, 

Viktor Sergeyevich Antonov

Chairman of INGO “Committee Against Torture”

Igor Alexandrovich Kalyapin

Investigation Department Inspector, Nizhny Novgorod office of INGO “CAT”

Ivan Vladimirovich Guilevich