Advocates of Gritsevich and Kimaev ask to investigate policemen's actions

On July 21, advocates of Anna Gritsevich, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, and ecologist Vladimir Kimaev submitted a statement demanding to open a criminal case against Sochi policemen to the Investigating Division of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) for the Adler District of Sochi.

The statement says that on June 29, in the Adler District of Sochi, in the village of Chereshnya, Anna Gritsevich, "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, was performing her editorial assignment to collect information about the protest of local residents against the dump made in their village."

In doing so, neither Gritsevich nor Kimaev "took any active steps to block the road and access, or to hamper the passage of transport, but only openly made filming," says the statement sent to investigators.

"However, policemen exhibited excessive and unjustified violence, seized Gritsevich and Kimaev, forced their arms back and pushed them into a service car. At detention, they forced Kimaev's video camera away. In the course of violent capture of Gritsevich, they caused physical pain to her and a sprain of her right shoulder joint," says the statement.

"Then, policemen drew up false explanations, including taking one from some non-existent citizen," says the statement submitted to the above Investigating Division of the ICRF for the Adler District of Sochi.

The advocates ask investigators to initiate a criminal case against the policemen, who took part in detaining the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent and the ecologist, and "to recognize citizens Anna Gritsevich and Vladimir Kimaev as the suffered party in the case."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.