Olga was taken to the militia department from her home. She was not given any legal
reason for detention. The young woman, suffering from epilepsy and a clavicle fracture
resulting from a car crash, was being held for three days in an ape's cage (this is a
slang phrase for grated cells resembling zoo aviaries, meant for one to three hours
detention of prostitutes, vagabonds and minor offenders, men and women together). Olga was
informed that the husband of her acquaintance, Anna, had been killed. «You must give
evidence that the murder was committed by your husband; he has already been arrested and
confessed,» — they commanded Olga.
Olga was periodically taken from the ape's cage to a room where a woman Procuracy
investigator now demanded that Olga write a confession that she had committed murder
herself, now that she sign evidence that the killer was her husband. She was insulted by
drunken militiamen, who threatened to take her out of town, to rape her, to kill her and
then to throw her into a ditch. She was not allowed medicines, and not permitted to
telephone home, where her disabled son incapable of moving by himself was left. «I was so
worried for my son that I nearly went mad, — Olga later told, — and I promised to sign
anything if they let me go home.» On the third night, the investigator directed militia
officials «to prepare these drabs» for questioning before a confrontation with Anna, who
was also to sign faked evidence. Olga was 'prepared' by an operative who first beat her
and then raped...
«I wanted to hang myself but they kept me in the 'apes' cage' all the time, — said
Olga. — At the confrontation, I and Anna confirmed everything they demanded: that the
murderers are my husband and his friend.» Then the women were forced to write confessions
of their own involvement in the murder. The investigator needed them to obtain the
Procurator's sanction for arrest, to keep Olga and Anna in an IVS
(temporary detention isolator) for one more week until the signs of abuse were no longer
visible. A little later, Olga was told that she and Anna were no longer suspected of being
accomplice to the murder, and they were now witnesses in the case.
The film deeply impressed session participants. «I would like to apologize for the
scoundrels that tortured the girl, — Lieutenant-Colonel Pastushkov from MVD central
structure said. — I have been shocked by her evidence as much as you have. But you
should not regard every MVD employee as a sadist. We have true professionals, who do care
about the current situation in internal affairs agencies. But it is difficult for them to
speak frankly with journalists and human rights activists. It would look like
betrayal...»
It is worth mentioning that MCPR has offered discussion
participants not only analytic materials, but also selections from publications of
regional and central mass media and other evidence of torture victims besides the
presented video subject. It seems that these emotional publications have played a positive
role in making discussion constructive. It turned out that department officials are also
human beings and they acknowledge in the depth of their hearts the dramatism of what is
going on.
The presentation of lawyer Igor Ogorodnikov, who actively cooperates with the Serpukhov
Society of Benefactors for the Care of Penitentiary Institutions (SOPPU),
strongly impressed the audience. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Igor had held an inquestor's
office with militia for three years. «I know at first-hand that the majority of
operatives and inquestors have to use torture in investigation and inquest.» At this
point he was asked, whether he had used torture himself. «Yes, — answered Igor after a
short pause, — This confession required much courage from Igor. In his speech
Ogorodnikov told in detail how the system makes an ordinary person torment his neighbor
against his own will. His story helped even the most severe critics of militia to
understand that the issue of torture can't be solved without reforming the whole system of
criminal justice. It is necessary to know and understand the problems facing enforcement
officers, not just to uncover instances of torture and punish every offender .
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