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Head of Municipality in Kaliningrad Oblast to Face Trial on Charges of Neglect of Duty That Led to Violation of Rights, Including Orphaned Children’s Rights

The Investigative Department of the IC of Russia for Kaliningrad Oblast completed criminal investigation against the head of the Bagrationovsky Municipality Maksim Azov. He is charged with a crime set forth in Part 1, Article 293 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (neglect of duty, that is, the non-discharge by a functionary of his duties due to a dishonest and careless attitude to civil service, if this has involved a material violation of rights and legitimate interests of citizens and statutory public and state interests).

Aware as a public official that apartments in four apartment buildings in Molodyozhnaya Street in the village of Dolgorukovo, Bagrationovsky Raion, Kaliningrad Oblast, had become unfit for accommodation since 2018, Azov did not take any steps to declare them dilapidated and subject to demolition or renovation, given that there was mold on the walls and floor of these apartments, dry walls were partly destroyed and there was no gas supply and heating, investigators claim.

As a result of the neglect of duty by the local government employee, 52 victims, 26 of whom are orphaned children and children without parental care, could not claim resettlement from dilapidated housing to comfortable apartments from the said period, investigators added.

Azov did not plead guilty. Earlier, Chairman of the IC of Russia Alexander Ivanovich Bastrykin ordered to report on steps taken by investigators to reinstate violated rights of orphaned children.

The regional department of the Investigative Committee performed a large amount of work regarding the criminal case, as a result of which they gathered ample irrefutable evidence: investigators interrogated many witnesses, recognized 52 individuals as victims, conducted searches and seizures, time-consuming construction and technical forensic inquiries to examine apartments in the said buildings, studied technical and other documentation, performed other investigative and procedural actions. Currently, orphaned children were granted comfortable apartments.

The criminal case and the approved bill of indictment will soon be submitted to court for review on the merits.