ST. PETERSBURG (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th August, 2019) Russia's Investigative Committee will conduct an inquiry into allegations that appeared in the media concerning possible torture being used in one of St. Petersburg's prisons, the committee said on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, the Russian Gulagu.net anti-torture project released a video on YouTube in which it showed a guard at the Kresty-2 prison in St. Petersburg beating up an inmate. Additionally, the portal released a statement in which it claimed that inmates of the prison received better treatment and living conditions if they tortured fellow inmates at the orders of the prison's guards.
"[Russia's regional] investigative committee in St. Petersburg is conducting a pre-investigation inquiry into the August 7 reports about the possibility of torture against inmates being conducted in the pre-trial detention center of Kresty-2," the investigative committee said.
The committee clarified that the inquiry would look into the prison's administrations' inaction in the face of alleged offenses.
Later on Wednesday, the press office of Human Rights Ombudsman for St. Petersburg Alexander Shishlov told Sputnik that the ombudsman would pay a visit to the Kresty-2 prison.
"Human Rights Ombudsman for St. Petersburg Alexander Shishlov will travel to the [Kresty-2] prison following the information received from media reports. Most likely, he will visit the prison [on Thursday]," the office said.
On Wednesday, Russia's Penitentiary Service told Sputnik that its representatives were on their way to the Kresty-2 prison to investigate the allegations, adding that if they found the claims true, they would redirect the investigation to the Investigative Committee for further action.
