The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia holds briefing

Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Alexander Bastrykin held a video conference briefing attended by the First Deputy and deputies of the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia, heads of the Central Office departments, regional investigations directorates and educational institutions of the Investigative Committee of Russia. The briefing was mainly focused on review of work of regional units of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Q1 of the current year.

At first, Alexander Bastrykin listened to reports of a number of heads of regional investigations directorates of the Investigative Committee of Russia on separate incidents and progress of investigation of some probes. The topics under discussion included: non-payment of wages on a plant in Novosibirsk Region; car accident in the same region entailing death of a 10-year-old girl; deaths of children in fires in Perm Territory and Republic of Khakassia; Moscow Region phone swindlers stealing money from a wife of Soviet Major General Gennady Petukhov; substandard medical service provided to a patient in Chelyabinsk Region; infliction of severe bodily harm to a minor as a result of shooting from an air rifle in Primorsky District. The Chairman gave specific instructions to the heads of regional directorates for each case.

The Chairman of the IC of Russia also drew attention of the head of Saratov Regional Investigations Directorate to the problem of shared-construction participants of Pobeda and Plyazh residential complexes. Alexander Bastrykin instructed to initiate transfer of the criminal case from Saratov Regional Directorate of the Russian Interior Ministry and to meet with initiative group of shared-construction participants unable to receive purchased housing.

During discussion of progress of investigation of a probe into death of three children in a fire in Khakassia Republic Alexander Bastrykin ordered to give legal assessment to actions (inaction) of guardianship and control authorities.  He underlined that it is necessary to sort out the matter of lack of adequate oversight over the family with many children and to check the preventive part of work of the indicated authorities. The Khakassia Republican Investigations Directorated has already launched a probe under Part 3 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code of Russia (neglect of duty entailing by negligence death of two or more persons).

Proceeding to the agenda, Alexander Bastrykin noted the continued positive trends of 2020 of improved quality and timeliness of preliminary investigation. During these three months 23,854 probes into over 25,000 perpetrators have been sent to court. Out of the total 2,214 probes into corruption offences, 2,100 probes into offenses committed by minors and 3,047 probes into adverse actions against children have been sent to court to be tried on the merits. Number of solved grave and especially grave offenses increased by 10 percent, number of offenses committed by organized criminal groups - by 50 percent (from 356 to 556). Improvement of quality of investigation positively affected timelines of preliminary criminal proceedings: two thirds of probes have been investigated in legally established two-month period. Investigation of past-years crimes is being systematically carried out with increased clearance. Solved past-years crimes include 239 murder and over a thousand of other grave and especially grave offenses.

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia noted successful work of Investigations Directorates of Udmurt Republic, Krasnodar Territory, Archangelsk Region, Nenets Autonomous District, Astrakhan, Tyumen, Tula and Penza Regions.

The briefing also covered reasons for indicated drawbacks of work of separate investigative units and measures for their improvement. The Chairman listened to reports of heads of Investigations Directorated of Komi Republic, Perm and Kamchatka Territories and Ryazan Region.

Matters of preventive measures taken by Investigative Committee to avoid spread of Covid-19 and of vaccination of the Committee officers and their family members were also mentioned at the briefing.

In conclusion of the briefing the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia noted generally effective performance of regional investigative bodies and commended his subordinates for their  perseverance and active position in protection of rights of citizens. The Head of the Committee wished them future success and inspired them to move forward and not slip into complacency.