Stavropol Court upholds verdict to convicts on Merekha's case

On April 18, the Stavropol Regional Court dismissed the appeal complaint lodged by the former staff members of the OVD (Interior Division) sentenced to 3.5-6 years of imprisonment for abuse and violence against Vyacheslav Merekha, a detained local resident.

On April 4, the Stavropol Territorial Court began considering the complaint. Lawyers from the "Public Verdict" Foundation had stated that they would seek to increase imprisonment terms for the sentenced men; while their defence asked to completely cancel the verdict of the first instance and acquit the former policemen.

"Today (on April 18), the court has invited witnesses from the defence and from the part of victim - Vyacheslav Merekha. Besides, the Court has listened again to expert testimonies on the both parties of the trial. In the end, the judge ruled to uphold the verdict of the first instance," the correspondent was told by Marina Dubrovina, an advocate for Vyacheslav Merekha, who was invited to defend the interests of the victim by the "Public Verdict" Foundation.

According to her story, the victim's party is satisfied with the court decision.

"We also plan to file a civil claim to compensate the moral damage inflicted to Vyacheslav Merekha by the former policemen," Marina Dubrovina has explained.

Natalia Spiridonova, a relative of Vyacheslav Merekha, has also expressed her satisfaction with the decision of the Stavropol Territorial Court.