Court refuses to open criminal case on torturing former Stavropol city manager

In North Ossetia, the Lenin District Court of Vladikavkaz has dismissed today the motion lodged by the advocates of Igor Bestuzhy, the former head of the administration of the city of Stavropol, suspected of bribery, to initiate a criminal investigation on the application of their client about the use of torture against him at the temporary detention centre (known as IVS).

"We petitioned about initiation of a criminal case on Bestuzhy's application about his torturing; however, the investigator refused to do it. We tried to challenge it at the court; however, on Tuesday the judge ruled to dismiss our motion in its entirety," said Inna Denisova, one of Bestuzhy's advocates. She noted that the court ruling was announced without advocates being present.

Denisova said that the defence had appealed against the refusal to initiate a criminal case because the check conducted before the refusal was incomplete and one-sided. "Law enforcement bodies failed to hold any examination on Igor Bestuzhy's application," the "Interfax" quotes her as saying.

Earlier, Inna Denisova had stated - with reference to Igor Bestuzhy - that confessions were knocked out of her client: he was punched in the head; and cellophane was put over his head. Mr Bestuzhy himself said at the court that he had been tortured, the RAPSI reports.