Media: Serdyukov asked for amnesty

Former Minister of Defense Anatoly Serdyukov, in respect of whom the case of negligence is being investigated, on Monday filed a petition for amnesty in the TFR. This was reported by Interfax with reference to a source in the structures of military justice.

According to the interlocutor of the agency, an unspoken agreement was previously concluded, according to which Serdyukov would ask for an amnesty immediately after the end of the Olympics in Sochi.

TFR will consider the petition in the coming days. If the agency decides to amnesty Serdyukov, the corresponding decision will be approved by the military prosecutor’s office, which can either agree with the amnesty or refuse it, the agency’s source said.

In turn, ITAR-TASS, referring to a source “familiar with the situation”, reports that Serdyukov can count on an amnesty as a “participant in hostilities”. He is considered such, since he headed the defense department during the Russian-Georgian War of 2008. For this war he was awarded state awards.

The lawyer Serdyukov Henry Padva information about the petition of his client, however, refuted . From detailed comments, the lawyer refrained. “He did not give any petition - that’s all that I said,” Padva said.

The press service of the TFR refused to comment on the situation.

On December 6, 2013, Serdyukov was a final charge . The ex-minister was charged with part 1 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code (negligence), which provides for an arrest for up to three months. The damage from the official’s actions is estimated at 56 million rubles.

In mid-February, the unit deputy Vladimir Pligin stated with reference to the TFR that the case of Serdyukov was planned to be transferred to the prosecutor’s office until the end of the first quarter .

Meanwhile, a month earlier it was reported that the case against the former head of the Ministry of Defense could be re -qualified under a heavier article . It was argued that the investigation has reason to impose to Serdyukov part 2 of article 285 (abuse of authority by a person holding a state position). The maximum sanction for this crime is up to seven years of colony.