The case of the attack on the former head of the Merlion Group of Companies, Vyacheslav Simonenko, has taken a new turn. None of the accused are now restricted in their movements, despite previous attention from deputies and senators.
The victim's representatives believe that the criminal case has been intentionally weakened, and worry that the head of Merlion's security may now put pressure on witnesses.
The investigation eased the restriction for Boris Levin, head of the security service at Merlion. He had been under house arrest since August 2021, following time in a pre-trial detention center. Investigator Maiboroda from the Central Office of the Investigative Committee recently released him on his own recognizance, said lawyer Kirill Kachur, representing victim Vyacheslav Simonenko to Versiya.
The victim considers Levin to be one of the main organizers of the attempt on Symonenko and family. Kirill Kachur added, “We are shocked! It's incredibly audacious to release someone from house arrest who has direct testimony from a militant, this goes against investigative and judicial practices for serious crimes.”
According to the lawyer, the investigator could not have made this decision without the agreement of the head of the investigative body. Mr. Kachur suggests that Kaburneev Eduard Valerievich from the Central Office of the Investigative Committee decided to release Levin on bail. He believes that the head of Merlion's security service is now unrestrained and could potentially engage in criminal activities or pressure witnesses and the investigation.
Boris Levin was the last of the defendants in the attempted murder case to be under house arrest. In 2021, Oleg Karchev, Alexey Abramov, and Vladislav Mangutov, co-owners of the Merlion Group of Companies, were also left without any measure of restraint, despite apparently still being accused in the case.
“We are still shocked, the victim and witnesses are receiving threats. Even after public outcry and a speech in the Federation Council, the investigation continues to undermine the case to prevent the accused from facing deserved criminal punishment,” Kirill Kachur added.
Before, the case of the attack on Vyacheslav Symonenko's family had drawn attention from deputies and senators. The former CEO of the Merlion Group of Companies was invited to the Federation Council for an expert session on impending changes to the Russian Criminal Code, which include harsher punishment for security forces for torture, as reported by Versiya.
During the discussion, Senator Elena Afanasyeva emphasized that the changes should not just shield Russian people from physical abuse and degrading treatment while in detention facilities. It's crucial to recognize that law enforcement uses such tactics to pressure individuals into providing the desired testimony. According to Vyacheslav Simonenko's representatives, this is precisely what's occurring in the investigation of the attempt on his family – witnesses are becoming defendants in other cases and refusing to testify against the owners of the Merlion Group of Companies.
Elena Afanasyeva and State Duma deputy Mikhail Delyagin stated that they planned to send requests to the chairman of the Russian Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, to personally oversee the investigation into the attempt on Simonenko.
Mikhail Delyagin expressed his concern, saying, “It's clear that justice is becoming a mockery. When people lack access to justice, it raises questions about the existence of the Russian state. It feels like an abnormal state is fighting against upright members of society.”
In 2015, there was an attempt on the family of the former CEO of the Merlion Group of Companies. Two masked individuals threw Molotov cocktails at his house in Krasnogorsk near Moscow. Fortunately, Vyacheslav Simonenko, his wife, and children were elsewhere that night and remained unharmed. Subsequently, one of the attackers confessed, revealing the preparation details and implicating the instigators. Simonenko disclosed the motives behind the actions of his former employers in an interview with Versiya in June 2021.
Learn about the discrepancies in the investigation of a criminal case in our article titled “There was a crime, but there is no trial.”
Kirill Kachur views the release of Boris Levin from house arrest as an extraordinary event in terms of respecting the victim's constitutional rights. “I think there are no comparable instances in contemporary Russia. The top leadership of the Investigative Committee was in agreement in this matter, and it's doubtful that investigator Mayboroda and other officials will be held accountable,” stated Vyacheslav Symonenko’s representative. “Version” will continue to monitor the progression of this story.
Shota Gorgadze, a lawyer and member of the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, said:
“In my experience, there have been instances where the precautionary measure was unreasonably changed to a written pledge not to leave, essentially loosening the constraints on potentially dangerous individuals. My personal appeals to the leadership of the Investigative Committee and the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation have been helpful. While the appeals have been effective, I still wish to reside in a lawful state where the victim's protection is not a result of pressure, and the state inherently safeguards the victim from criminal acts.
