CCPR/C/126/D/2410/2014
On admissibility
8.2
The State party notes that, in 2014, the author complained to the Krasnoyarsk
Region Prosecutor’s Office that some evidence used against him had been manipulated
during the forensic examinations, including the ballistics examination of the gun, and asked
for a criminal investigation to be initiated against those responsible and to reopen his case
based on newly discovered evidence. On 25 February 2014, the Deputy Prosecutor of
Krasnoyarsk Region informed the author that there was no credible information to support
his allegations. On the same day, the Deputy Prosecutor issued a ruling officially denying
the author’s request to have the case reopened, noting that all forensic evidence had already
been examined by the court and ruled admissible and there were no new circumstances in
the author’s motion to rule otherwise.
8.3
The author appealed the Deputy Prosecutor’s first letter to the Central District Court
of Krasnoyarsk City, which, on 5 May 2014, denied the appeal. On 1 July 2014, the
Krasnoyarsk Regional Court confirmed the decision of the Central District Court and
explained to the author that the Deputy Prosecutor’s letter could only be appealed through a
civil court because it was not a procedural decision, but that he could appeal to the criminal
court the Deputy Prosecutor’s ruling not to reopen the criminal case based on new evidence.
The State party submits that, to this day, the Deputy Prosecutor’s ruling to deny reopening
the criminal case based on new evidence has not been appealed. Thus, the author has not
exhausted all available domestic remedies.
On article 14 (1) of the Covenant
8.4
With regard to the author’s claim that, during the trial, the prosecution illegally
influenced the jury by telling them that he had been responsible for the death of an infant
girl, the State party notes that, although he had not been charged with the death of the child,
the circumstances surrounding her death had been mentioned by the prosecution in its
closing remarks due to the fact that the defence had investigated the girl’s death certificate
during the trial.
8.5
With regard to the author’s claim that he was precluded from presenting evidence to
the jury to the effect that one of the crimes that he had been charged with could have been
committed by another person, the State party submits that the possible connection of this
person to one of the crimes was investigated by the police and the investigation against him
was officially closed on 24 November 2005. The author’s motion to present certain
evidence against that person to the jury was partially granted by the judge during the trial,
while other evidence was precluded on the grounds of relevance.
On article 7 of the Covenant
8.6
The State party also notes that, on 22 April 2013, the Bogotol District Court denied
the author’s complaint against the unlawful actions of the police related to the night of his
arrest due to the lack of grounds for opening a criminal investigation against the police
officers.
Author’s comments on the State party’s additional observations
9.1
In letters dated 2 April, 14 April, 25 May, 15 June and 18 September 2015, the
author provided his comments on the State party’s additional observations.
On article 7 of the Covenant
9.2
The author submits that, while investigating his complaint against the police, the
Krasnoyarsk Region Prosecutor’s Office never tried to inquire where he had been held
between 5 a.m. and 7.30 p.m. when the official interrogation took place. He also notes that
the Krasnoyarsk Region Prosecutor’s Office did not question his friend at whose apartment
he was detained. According to the author, his friend testified at the trial that he had also
been subjected to beatings when the police came looking for the author. However, he never
spoke about this again out of fear of repercussions from the police. In their testimonies, the
arresting officers omitted, on purpose, to mention the presence of the author’s friend, so he
could not be questioned as a witness in the investigation against them.
7