Dmitry Krepkin, accused in the March 26 case, refused to admit guilt

At a meeting of the Moscow City Court on May 31, Dmitry Krepkin, accused in the “March 26 case,” completely refused to admit guilt. This was reported by Grani.

Dmitry Krepkin is accused of using violence not dangerous to life or health against a police officer during an anti-corruption rally in Moscow on March 26 under Part 1 of Article 318 of the Criminal Code. The investigation believes that he hit riot policeman Zvonarev in the leg. The accused himself and his lawyer Ilnur Sharapov insist that Krepkin’s blow fell not on the leg, but on the police baton.

As the defendant's lawyer Sharapov explained, his client was well aware that using violence against a police officer could result in charges. According to the defense lawyer, during a Moscow protest against corruption, Krepkin tried to stand up for a man who was seized by police for simply standing.

“I turned to the policeman and grabbed him by the uniform, but immediately let go. At that moment, a second policeman swung his baton at him. Dmitry walked away, but then kicked the baton, as if taking revenge on her,” the lawyer said.

On the video recording that formed the basis of Krepkin’s accusation, the blow itself is not visible; the recording is of poor quality. The injured police officer did not seek medical help and did not write a report about the discovery of signs of a crime. At the same time, in his testimony, riot policeman Zvonarev claims that he allegedly experienced “severe physical pain” from the blow.

“We were detained after a certain video appeared. The video was filmed from the back, it is clear that I held one employee back and hit the second with a stick, although investigators claim that it was on the thigh,” Krepkin himself said.

In addition, yesterday, May 31, Dmitry Krepkin said at a hearing in the Moscow City Court that he was beaten during an anti-corruption protest on March 26. Emergency room doctors recorded bruises all over his body - he received at least six blows. In connection with these circumstances, the political prisoner’s lawyer Ilnur Sharapov is going to submit an application to the Investigative Committee.

The arrest of Dmitry Krepkin became known on May 24, after his mother turned to Agora lawyers for help. The lawyer Oleg Butin, assigned to the accused by the investigation, persuaded him to plead guilty to attacking a riot policeman, promising that then he would allegedly be given a year in a penal colony, and perhaps released from the colony “for good behavior” in six months.

Dmitry Krepkin was detained on May 14, 2017, and on May 17, judge of the Basmanny Court of Moscow Natalia Dudar arrested him for two months, until July 16. Yesterday, May 31, the Moscow City Court recognized the decision to arrest Krepkin as legal and rejected the defense’s request to transfer him to house arrest.

The resolution to initiate a criminal case for attacks on police officers after a violently dispersed protest against corruption on March 26, 2017 was issued by Investigative Committee investigator Severilov. The investigation period in the case has now been extended until September 26. The head of the investigation team for the “March 26 case” is Colonel of Justice Rustam Gabdullin, who also heads the investigation team for the “Bolotnaya case”.