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The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia holds a video-conference briefing

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Alexander Ivanovich Bastrykin held a video conference briefing. The event was attended by the First Deputy and deputies of the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia, heads of the Central Office departments, regional investigative departments and educational institutions of the Committee.

The topic of the meeting was the acquittal by the courts of criminal cases that were being investigated by territorial investigative bodies. Thus, this year 73 thousand criminal cases were sent to courts with respect to 82 thousand defendants. Less than one percent of the defendants were acquitted.

The head of the Investigative Committee of Russia noted that the majority of acquittals are made in criminal cases into crimes against persons.  The Chairman of the Investigative Committee identified the conditions that lead to such decisions. First of all, it is insufficient quality of investigative actions, especially at the initial stage of evidence collection, incomplete verification of arguments of criminal defendants and in some cases protracted nature of the investigation.

The prerequisites for the growth of juror rehabilitation, which, beginning in 2018, can adjudicate fatal homicide and serious injury cases at the district level, have been discussed.

A.I. Bastrykin heard reports from the heads of investigative departments, where the figures on the number of acquitted in criminal cases are particularly alarming. The report was made by A. G. Zyubanov, Acting Head of the Main Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia. He told in detail about each criminal case where the defendants were acquitted. Special attention was given to the criminal case against a 17-year-old boy who was accused of committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 107 of the Criminal Code (murder committed in a state of sudden strong mental disturbance (affect)). The prosecutor's office initially confirmed the indictment, but already in court a representative of the supervisory authority dismissed the charges, after which the criminal case was dismissed for lack of corpus delicti in connection with the presence of necessary defense in the actions of the person. A.I. Bastrykin made a number of comments and gave specific instructions.

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia heavily criticized the work of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Republic of Tatarstan, where an increase in the number of acquittals was noted. Among the reasons for such court decisions was the recognition of the act committed by the defendant as minor and not representing public danger.

The heads of Investigative Departments of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Kostroma and Kaluga Regions also made reports, outlining a set of measures taken to eliminate such trends.

Upon results, A.I. Bastrykin instructed the heads of investigative units to thoroughly analyze the grounds for acquittal, their analysis during the organization of training for investigators, cooperation with public prosecutors to promptly appeal against unlawful decisions.

At the end of the meeting A.I. Bastrykin touched upon a list of current issues, including those concerning the activities of educational institutions of the Investigative Committee of Russia. He thanked the students of the Moscow and St. Petersburg Academies of the Investigative Committee of Russia for their participation in the All-Russian seminar "Without Statute of Limitations",  held at the Victory Museum in Moscow. The Chairman gave instructions to the heads of profile departments to pay increased attention to extracurricular creative activities and to be sure to encourage talented students for their initiatives and ideas.