The investigating bodies of the Russia’s Investigative Committee for the Rostov Region are taking measures to finish investigating a criminal case against deputy of the RF State Duma Vladimir Bessonov. He is charged with crimes under part 2 of article 318 of the RF Penal Code (2 counts).
According to investigators, on 2 December 2011, in Rostov-on-Don Vladimir Bessonov organized a non-authorized rally of more than 100 people on the square in front of residence of the Presidential Plenipotentiary in the Southern Federal District. The police demanded to stop the illicit event. Bessonov and other organizers of the rally refused to do that. When a police officer of the Police Patrol and Point Duty Service and Deputy Head of Rostov Region Main Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior tried to turn off the sound amplifying equipment and thus to prevent organizers and participants of the rally from committing an administrative misdemeanor Bessonov beat up the policemen and damaged their uniforms.
Despite the fact that all investigating operations were finished in January 2014, the accused and his lawyers are deliberately procrastinating reading the files of the criminal case in order to stop it reaching a court.
This way, Bessonov with no good reason has not showed up at the investigator’s office since January 2014. The investigator gave Bessonov copies of all the files, including copies of all videos. Despite that, Bessonov did not refuse to read the files, but simply ignored summons.
The investigators filed a request and a court ruled to limit the time when the accused can read the files between 26 March and 23 April 2014. But the accused failed to show up even in the period stipulated by the court decision.
To drag out the process Bessonov regularly changes his lawyers, refusing ones and filing requests to invite others. Two of the lawyers had already been limited in time for reading the files, but still failed to show up.
At present Bessonov’s new lawyer is reading the files. In all, this is the 6th lawyer defending the deputy and the investigators have reasons to thing that he won’t be the last.
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