Materials of Mardiros Demerchyan's case sent to SC due to communication of ECtHR

After the complaint of Mardiros Demerchyan about torture at the Sochi police station had been communicated by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), the Russian Supreme Court (SC) requested the materials of the Mardiros Demerchyan's case. The defence of Mardiros Demerchyan again failed to secure the return of the case to prosecutor.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Mardiros Demerchyan worked in Sochi at construction of Olympic facilities and was detained on June 12, 2013, on suspicion of stealing building materials. The builder was accused of defaming policemen, and he was once sentenced, but the court cancelled the verdict. At present, the re-trial in his case is underway.

Today, public prosecutor Anastasia Savelieva has announced that the Prosecutor's Office takes all measures to search for the victim. She has requested the court to postpone the trial to another date. The judge has agreed with the arguments voiced by Anastasia Savelieva.

"I believe it is unreasonable delay of the trial. There is no victim in the case, and actually no victim can be found. The case is falsified, and it is to be sent to prosecutor to address the shortcomings," argued defender Alexander Boichenko.

Mardiros Demerchyan and his wife Lyudmila have expressed their dissatisfaction with the judge's decision.

"We've got an impression that they simply pull the wool over our eyes," noted the defendant.

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