In Saratov, case of militiamen accused of burning up an Armenian sent to court

The indictment against three operative agents of the Leninskiy RUVD (District Interior Department) of the city of Saratov, accused of murdering Armen Gasparyan, a citizen of Armenia, in October 2008, has been approved.

The website of the Regional Prosecutor's Office reports that the criminal case was sent for consideration on the merits to the Saratov Regional Court. All the defendants are now in custody.

The militiamen's actions were qualified under part 3, Article 286 ("Abuse of office") and part 2, Article 105 ("Intentional homicide under aggravating circumstances") of the Russian Criminal Code. The maximum punishment by combination of these crimes is up to 25 years of imprisonment or life imprisonment, as reported by "Gazeta.Ru".

The half-burnt body of Armen Gasparyan, 30, was found in Saratov suburb, in a forest belt. Inspectors assume that at night on October 29, 2008, the militiamen were "knocking-out" a confession of stealing gold from their detainee.

After his refusal to sign confessionary statement, the victim was taken out of the city, poured over with gasoline and set on fire. When Gasparyan was in flame, he regained consciousness and tried to run away, but the militiamen finished him off with a head blow and then buried the body, as reported by the "Interfax".