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In Chelyabinsk charges pressed against organizers and participants of mass riots in penal colony

Chelyabinsk Region investigating bodies of the Russia’s Investigative Committee continue investigating a criminal case opened in a crime under parts 1 and 2 of article 212 of the RF Penal Code (mass riots) over mass riots that happened in pretrial detention center No 1 of Chelyabinsk Region Main Office of the Federal penitentiary Service.

During the probe, investigators have found that at night of 9 December 2014, there was a conflict between the detainees in one of cells connected with division of authority among the prisoners. The conflict involved violence. As a result of the conflict the prisoners locked in the said cell started to call for other prisoners to rebel and disobedience to the facility administration. A number of convicts answered the calls and started damaging property (beds and tables), setting fire to bed linen, blocking cell doors and refused to follow legal demands of the facility administration. Several of the convicts mutilated themselves by scratching and cutting their forearms not dangerous for health. Employees of the Chelyabinsk Region Main Office of the Federal Penitentiary Service stopped riots, restored the order in the facility, called doctors to treat the injured, without using violence or special means against the arrested.

The investigators have identified organizers and main participants of mass riots. Four of the arrested are charged with a crime under parts 1 and 2 of article 212 of the RF Penal Code. The investigators will keep on identifying all participants of the riots, whose actions will also be classified.

In addition, it was found that the conflict that triggered the riots was provoked by ungrounded transfer of a group of prisoners from one cell to another and failure of the administration of the pretrial detention center No 1 to prevent and break violations of law and order in the facility. Chelyabinsk Region investigating bodies of the Russia’s Investigative Committee have launched a criminal investigation in a crime under part 1 of article 286 of the RF Penal Code (exceed of authority) against officials of pretrial detention center No 1.

The investigators are identifying the officials, whose actions will also be classified.