17:00, 24 April 2012

"Memorial" asks ICRF Chairman to take control of the case of policemen who tortured resident of Kabardino-Balkaria

The Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" has sent an appeal to Alexander Bastrykin, Chairman of the Investigatory Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF), asking him to take the criminal case initiated against the policemen who tortured Inal Berov, a resident of Nalchik, under his special supervision.

The policemen demanded from Berov to confess of involvement in a robbery. For several hours Berov was beaten, tortured with electric shocks and threatened with execution. It all happened in the building of the MIA of Kabardino-Balkaria.

"Failing to reach their aim and, apparently, after getting convinced of his innocence, the policemen released Berov, but threatened that if he complained about the beatings and torture, they would find a way to imprison him," says the press release of the HRC "Memorial".

Despite the threats, Inal Berov and his father Muradin wrote a complaint to the ICRF and appealed to human rights organizations.

The HRC "Memorial" believes that in Inal Berov's case "we see an obvious pressure on the victim of police lawlessness."