Russia’s Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev called for introduction of a system to defend the dignity of police in the face of recent, 'often unfair' media attacks.
Media reports about brutal treatment of suspects and detainees by Russian police began snowballing after March 11 when a man died in custody after allegedly being sodomized by police in Kazan on the Volga. The minister has also come under fire over what some lawmakers called failed police reform.
Speaking at a conference on his ministry’s staff policy, Nurgaliyev said the police were working under serious media pressure and the brutality allegations were often unfair.
“Quite often we receive complaints that are unsubstantiated, including for the purpose of preventing justice,” he said, calling on human resources to draw up a system to protect police work from unfounded claims, including with the help of unbiased assessment.
On Wednesday, the Russian investigative committee said a new department would be set up to probe into police crimes.
The minister also said policemen who fell victim to unfair allegations had to be provided with psychological counseling.
In addition, Nurgaliyev called for “promoting the honesty, heroism and courage of police officers.”
In Soviet days, renowned writer Sergei Mikhalkov wrote poems about enormously tall “Uncle Styopa” who worked as a police officer, among other jobs, and was very popular among children for defending the weak and threatening hooligans.
