3 former Tatarstan police officers to remain in custody until July

The Supreme Court of Tatarstan on Wednesday extended the arrest of three former officers from the Dalny police station to July. "The court has extended custody of former criminal investigation department chief Ainur Rakhmatullin to June 17, former detective Amir Sharifullin to June 18 and former detective Denis Vasilyev to July 11, 2013," the court's spokeswoman Natalia Loseva told Itar-Tass. Earlier, custody was extended to June 11 for former operations department chief Fail Sabirzyanov and former deputy chief of the criminal investigation department Almaz Vasilov, as well as former detectives Ramil Akhmetzyanov and Ilnar Ibatullin. On March 9, 2012, Sergei Nazarov was brought to the Dalny police station for petty hooliganism. Police claimed the detainee was in a state of alcoholic intoxication and said they had called an ambulance after Nazarov complained of stomach ache. After a check, medics made a painkiller injection and suggested in-patient treatment, but the man declined hospitalization. On March 10 afternoon, Nazarov complained about stomach ache again and this time, he was rushed to hospital. He was diagnosed with rectum rupture and died after surgery. Nazarov's relatives said he had not been drunk at the moment of detention and that just before surgery Nazarov told them that police had tortured him with a champagne bottle. Investigative Committee /SK/ chief Alexander Bastrykin ordered to set up a group of experienced investigators from the SK central office and the investigation department of the Republic of Tatarstan. They talked with citizens and took their statements claiming illegal actions by police. As a result of this work, 18 criminal cases were opened, which were pooled into one. Eight former Dalny policemen were arraigned: deputy police station chief Almaz Vasilov, 25, criminal investigation department chief Ainur Rakhmatullin, 31, operations department chief Fail Sabirzyanov, 26, and detectives Ramil Akhmetzyanov, 25, Ilnar Ibatullin, 24, Amir Sharafullin, 29, Alexander Fadeyev, 28, and Denis Vasilyev, 23. One suspect is on recognizance. All have been charged with abuse of authority. On top of that, Akhmetzyanov, Vasilov, Ibatullin and Sabirzyanov were accused of causing serious harm to health and manslaughter. Two Dalny policemen, Nigmatzyanov and Garifullin, signed plea bargain agreements within this case in June 2012. They were sentenced to two years and two years and six months, respectively.The investigators said it was those two police who had brought Sergei Nazarov, 52, to the police station and drew a protocol of administrative offence. After the high-profile police violence incident, the Dalny police station was dissolved and all 87 personnel relieved of their duties. Tatarstan Interior Minister Asgat Safarov was fired. Criminal proceedings against Dalny chief Ilgiz Akhmetzyanov made a separate case, as he had suffered two heart attacks, and the medics said he needed a six months' break before the probe against him could continue. In 2012, investigators in Tatarstan opened 117 criminal cases against police. Twenty-seven cases were sent to court.