ROSTOV-ON-DON, November 29 (Itar-Tass) — Five Rostov penitentiary # 10 personnel are accused of beating up a detainee which was videoed and placed on the Internet, investigators said on Thursday.
Charges of abuse of authority were brought under Article 286, Part 3, items "a" and "b" against former deputy prison chief Vladimir Kobzar, former detective Maxim Danshin, detective Nikolai Ovchinnikov, residential area inspector Alexei Safronov and security department inspector Vadim Semenikov, the regional department of the Investigative Committee /SK/ told Itar-Tass.
Regional prosecutors said three suspects involved in the battery had been detained. A court will rule on the measure of restraint for them.
Earlier, a video called "lawlessness at penitentiary # 10" was placed on the Internet. A note attached said the recording showing abuse of authority was made at penitentiary # 10 in Rostov-on-Don. The video shows uniformed men beating up a person who is asking them to stop.
A preliminary check ascertained that a convict, aged 30, had been convoyed to the Rostov penitentiary from remand prison # 3, Novocherkassk. He had been sentenced to 3.5 years in a general regime penitentiary.
"The convict behaved provocatively, criticized the prison regime, and flatly refused to comply with the legitimate requirements by prison personnel, i.e. hand in his civilian clothes and put on the prison uniform," the Federal Penitentiary Service /FSIN/ said.
The man was brought to an office at the prison's security department where prison personnel used special means and physical force on him which was obviously in excess of their authority. Thus, the convicted person's rights were violated to a significant extent. The rough handling of the inmate was recorded by a video camera.
Police have ascertained the identity of six persons involved in the battery. Of those, two had been fired by the time the video was placed on the Internet.
The FSIN assured that all complaints about abuse of authority by prison personnel from highs activists, and parents and relatives of inmates, even anonymous statements, are reviewed by the FSIN internal security department.