The Main Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee has started a check into disclosure of information over preliminary investigation in the article “Yves Rocher will plant three million trees in Russian and Navalny brothers behind the bars?” published by special corresponden Irek Murtazin in Novaya Gazeta on 8 February 2013 (article 310 of the RF Criminal Code – disclosure of information of preliminary investigation).
The author describes details of how the criminal case against brothers Oleg and Aleksey was initiated when they were suspected of swindling against the foreign company and legalization of the money they had stolen. Moreover the article contains procedural documents which are the secrecy of investigation. Only a limited circle of people involved in the criminal procedures had access to the documents, who under the procedure established by the law had been warned against disclosing materials of the investigation.
It is obvious that those who organized this harassment of the foreign company in media and Internet want the businessmen to take back their application. However, friends of Mr. Navalny, who are trying to discredit and thus press the victims probably, do not know Russian laws very well. Specially for them and the Navalny’s defender I explain that the crime under article 310 of the RF Criminal Code is not the case of private charge and the result of its investigation does not depend on whether it was reported or not by the victims. As long as the crime has been revealed it should be investigated and the criminal case forwarded to the court, which will give final judgment. Moreover the famous foreign company with positive commercial reputation has the right to appeal to the court to protect their business reputation.
As for the Investigative Committee, its task is to ensure protection of rights of all people involved in the criminal proceedings, especially those of the injured party, at the stage of preliminary investigation and that is why this check is undertaken. A procedural decision will be made based on its results.
Head of Media Relations Directorate V.I. Markin
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