ANTI-TORTURE

The prosecutor’s office opened a criminal case. Nine police officers were investigated: Lieutenant Colonel, Deputy Head of the Department for Combating Organized Groups and Criminal Organizations of the UBOS Valery Pastukhov, Deputy Head of the Department for Combating Organized Groups and Criminal Organizations of the UBOS Major Vyacheslav Molokovsky, Senior Operations Officer for Particularly Important Cases Captain Andriy Tumarets, Head of the Rapid Response Department “Sokol” Captain Yevgeny Kyrypchenko, Assistant Operations Officer, Senior Warrant Officer Andriy Mitrofanov, Senior Lieutenant Vyacheslav Shetelya, Senior Lieutenant, Operations Officer of the UBOS Vyacheslav Nikitin, Lieutenant, Senior Operations Officer of the Special Operations Support Department “Sokol” Artem Filatov, and Lieutenant, Head of the Rapid Response Department “Sokol” Vasyl Petrukhno. Then they went to court. Not only for torturing Kuntsevsky, but also for abuse of authority.

The court confirmed the fact of violation of the norms of criminal procedure legislation during the detention of the Kuntsevsky brothers, Musienko Yu.M. and Mikhalenko O.O. on suspicion of criminal activity. The fact of torture was also confirmed, that is, the infliction of beatings and other violent acts in order to obtain a confession to the commission of crimes, which led to serious consequences.

The actions of each defendant were qualified depending on their personal participation. For torture and abuse of authority, Pastukhov and Molokovsky were sentenced to eight years each. Nikitin and Shetela were given four years in prison. Kyrylchenko – three years suspended. Mitrofanov – 3.5 years with a probationary period. The court acquitted Petrukhn, Filatov, and Tumarets, citing the fact that they were only following orders. All of the convicted were stripped of their police ranks.

The convicted will likely appeal their sentences to the Sumy Court of Appeal. The Chernihiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office will appeal their acquittals.

In the photo: relatives of the deceased near the window where Serhiy Kuntsevsky was killed, October 4, 2008