Investigators have opened a case against a police officer who was caught on camera beating a peaceful protester at a banned opposition rally in St. Petersburg on July 31.
The unidentified officer is under investigation on suspicion of exceeding his authority and, if charged and convicted, could face up to 10 years in prison, the Investigative Committee said in a statement carried by Interfax.
A video of the beating was uploaded onto YouTube on the day of the incident.
The Investigative Committee asked witnesses to provide additional video footage of the officer's actions.
The officer was filmed calling protesters “ferrets,” shouting profanities and attacking one of the rally's participants, grabbing him by the hair and hitting him on the head with a rubber baton.
His actions caused an outcry on the Internet, where bloggers launched a campaign to identify and prosecute the officer, whom they nicknamed “Pearl Ensign” because of a pearl bracelet that he was wearing.
On Tuesday, St. Petersburg city police said they had identified the officer and punished him with an official reprimand, local news web site Fontanka.ru reported.
The officer's superiors may also face penalties over his actions, the report said.
The officer claimed that he was reacting after a protester called him “a ferret and a gray mouse,” but his excuse has been dismissed as insufficient, it said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.