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Russia’s National Guard penalizes officers found guilty of police brutality

Many officers faced disciplinary penalties or were discharged from the law enforcement, according to the Russian senator

MOSCOW, February 17. /TASS/. The superiors of the National Guard and the police have taken necessary measures towards its employees who were found exceeding their authority during the June-August 2019 rallies in Moscow, and some of them were penalized, says Russia’s Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security head Viktor Bondarev.

"I’m not saying that all actions of law enforcement officers were 100% classified as pacification of unrest. There were cases when the officers used excessive force. We have taken large-scale measures: those who were not found guilty of violating freedoms and rights of citizens got away with verbal reprimand; those who were found guilty face criminal proceedings. Many officers faced disciplinary penalties or were discharged from the law enforcement," Bondarev said.

The senator added that, in general, actions of the National Guard and the police during the 2019 rallies were found "adequate to the events that took place and threats they posed."

On July 27 and August 3, 2019, unauthorized rallies took place in Moscow, after independent candidates were not allowed to run in the Moscow City Duma elections. During the rallies, the law enforcement apprehended a total of approximately 2,000 people. The law enforcement authorities claimed that the protesters used violence against police and National Guard officers. The investigative committee initiated criminal proceedings against more than 20 people over charges of rioting and violence towards authorities.