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Alexander Bastrykin holds a video-conference reception of citizens

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia held a video-conference reception of citizens. It was attended by heads of Central Office divisions, as well as heads and employees of regional investigative departments processing criminal inquiries and probe materials that drew the attention of the Chairman.

During the reception Alexander Bastrykin listened to citizens from Primorsky Territory, Voronezh and Kemerovo Regions.

Complainants from Primorsky Region are unsatisfied with the progress of the investigation of a probe launched in relation to disappearance of their son in 2017. The young man born in 1987 left home by car and disappeared. His location still remains unknown. The parents complained that the investigative bodies launched a probe into disappearance of their son only 4 months after, then it was terminated by an investigator of a district department, and was resumed only in April 2020. Alexander Bastrykin criticised work of local subordinates and requested an official assessment into officers of investigative department involved in investigation. In particular, it is to be established why the probe wasn't timely launched and whether its termination was legitimate. Upon instruction of the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia the probe was referred to the Main Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for further investigation. Forensic specialists of the Main Forensics Directorate (Forensic Centre) of the Investigative Committee of Russia have also departed for the scene.

A resident of Kemerovo Region lost two children born in 2008 and 2011. In July of the last year the minors went for a walk and disappeared. Investigative bodies urgently launched a probe into infliction of death by negligence. As a result of organized search activities the bodies of children were found in a pond. The set of forensic and genetic examinations verified that the deceased were children of the victim and siblings. However, the complainant asked a number of questions she had after studying the case materials. The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia instructed his subordinates to pay more attention to work with complainants, answer their questions and give explanations. Apart from that, he listened to a report on measures that had been taken, since investigation had found out that the pond where the children drowned was not fenced off. In this relation a probe was launched under Part 3 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code of Russia, already involving an official. A submission on the elimination of violations has been sent to the city administration. Forensic specialists of Main Forensics Directorate (Forensics Centre) of the Investigative Committee of Russia have departed to the scene in order to check all arguments of investigation and the victim once again.

A complainant from Voronezh Region applied with a complaint about progress of investigation of a probe into death of his pregnant wife in a hospital in December 2020. The victim is unsatisfied with the progress of investigation. He believes that employees of the medical institutions that failed to hospitalize the woman on time and did not perform an emergency operation, despite the arisen complication of the pregnancy are responsible for the death of his wife. Alexander Bastrykin heavily criticized work of his subordinates, including for failure to fulfill his instruction to arrange forensic examinations in independent expert institutions. As a result, two conflicting conclusions on causes of death of the woman appeared in relation to this probe. The head of the Investigative Committee of Russia requested to refer the probe to the Main Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia and urgently carry out an additional examination in the Forensic Expert Centre of the Committee. He also instructed forensic specialists of Main Forensics Directorate (Forensics Centre) of the Investigative Committee of Russia to engage in the investigation. Officers of the investigative department engaged in investigation of the probe are to be subject to official assessment.

"We don't have a goal to punish doctors. Today they are performing a truly heroic service. But each case deserves the most careful examination. We need to understand in terms of this specific probe why the young woman had died", Alexander Bastrykin summarized.

Following the reception, Alexander Bastrykin gave a number of specific instructions over the said probes and assigned to deliver reports on their fulfillment in the nearest time possible.