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The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia holds briefing

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Alexander Bastrykin held a video conference briefing on meeting deadlines for procedural probes and preliminary investigation. It was attended by the First Deputy and deputies of the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia, heads of the Central Office departments, regional investigations directorates and educational institutions of the Investigative Committee of Russia.

Before proceeding to the agenda the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia listened to reports on results of pre-investigative probes and progress of preliminary investigation of high-profile probes in several regions.

Heads of regional investigations directorates reported about the death of a child at structural collapse of a residential building in Nizhny Novgorod Region; potential injuring of children by a stand fall in a traveling circus in Murmansk Region; a bus road accident in Sakhalin; murder of two children in Yakutia; abuse of authority by a Krasnodar Territorial Administration official during purchasing of housing for orphan children; negligence of Primorye authorities entailing hard living situation of a veteran widow; injuring of a child in St. Petersburg and an attack against a pediatrician in Smolensk. The Chairman gave specific instructions to the heads of regional directorates for each case. For example, he recommended a decoration for a juvenile boy who stood up for his grandfather against perpetrators and became a victim of illegal actions of four accomplices.

A number of pre-investigative probes reported during the briefing has already resulted in procedural decisions.

Thus, the Smolensk Regional Investigations Directorate launched a probe under Article 116 of the Criminal Code of Russia (battery) into an attack against a pediatrician who was called to visit a sick child. A set of required investigative activities aimed to establish circumstances of the incident is being carried out under the probe.

As part of investigation of a murder of two children the Sakha (Yakutia) Republican Investigations Directorate launched a probe into negligence of guardianship authorities of Bulunsky District (Part 3 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code of Russia). The investigation established that despite receiving information about circumstances threatening life and health of minor children on April 15, 2021 the guardianship authorities failed to take measures aimed to isolate children from their father. As a result of stabbed wounds inflicted by their father on April 19, 2021 the boys were delivered to a medical facility where they died.

Also the Sakhalin Regional Investigations Office of the Investigative Committee of Russia launched a probe under Part 1 of Article 238 of the Criminal Code of Russia (rendering of services which do not meet safety standards) into a road accident with a bus which entailed injuries of 11 passengers. An investigative team consisting of experiences investigators and forensic specialists was formed to investigate this probe. The investigation will include assessment of actions of persons responsible for safety of passenger carriage and taking preventive measures.

Apart from that. the Novosibirsk Regional Investigations Directorate launched a probe under Part 1 of Article 118 of the Criminal Code of Russia (infliction of severe health damage by negligence) into a dog attack on a child. The victim has been hospitalised and will be subject to forensic examination to establish severity of health damage inflicted to the boy.

Also the St. Petersburg Investigations Office of the Investigative Committee of Russia proceeded to investigation of a probe into infliction of stabbed wounds to a minor child by his mother under Paragraphs C, G of Part 2 of Article 112 of the Criminal Code of Russia (intentional infliction of injury of average gravity). The child was hospitalised to a children's hospital and provided with medical and psychological care. Due to her health condition the woman was isolated and placed in a psychiatric facility. The investigation addressed guardianship authorities on the issue of depriving the mother of her parental rights. The investigation will also assess actions (inaction) of prevention system authorities to establish the caused that led to threatening conditions for the child.

During discussion of meeting deadlines for procedural probes and preliminary investigation Alexander Bastrykin noted that the agency pays close attention to perfection of mechanisms aimed to improve timelines of examination of crime reports and preliminary investigation. In order to speed up investigation and examinations the agency formed a Forensic Centre and provides practical and methodological assistance, including this provided by forensic divisions of the Investigative Committee of Russia.

The management solutions implemented in 2020 resulted in significant reduction of timelines for preliminary criminal proceedings. 337 000 of crime reports were promptly checked (within three days). In 2020 the number of probes investigated for over two months reduced by almost 10 percent. The positive dynamics continued in the current year.

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia acknowledged positive results of work of investigations directorates for Penza, Tula, Kaluga, Volgograd, Smolensk, Nizhny Novgorod Regions, Republic of Komi and Udmurt Republic.

The briefing also included discussion of reasons for drawbacks of work of investigations directorates for Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, Irkutsk, Kaliningrad and Kostroma Regions and measures taken for their improvement.

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia also noted some flaws in handling of applications of citizens in Tula, Bryansk, Lipetsk, Vladimir Regions and Krasnodar Territory. He demanded to avoid formalism in this area of work and pointed out the necessity of caring attitude to citizens and their problems.

Following the briefing the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia also gave specific instructions regarding other issues discussed at the briefing. Moreover, official assessment was launched into a number of subordinates in territorial divisions of Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, Murmansk and Novosibirsk Regions who showed questionable performance.