In January 2002, Lapin was arrested and charged in connection with the allegations of disappearance and torture of Murdalov.
He was released pending trial since the Court did not considerer him to be a threat to the public order.
The trial started in May 2003 but Lapin did not attend, claiming that he had a mental illness.
On 29 May 2005, the Court found Lapin guilty of intentional infliction of serious harm to health under aggravating circumstances, exceeding official authority under aggravating circumstances and forgery by an official. He was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment and banned from working for agencies under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for three years following his release.
Moreover, the Court sent a special ruling to the Head of the Khanty-Mansiiskii Russian special police forces, strongly criticizing the conducts of the OMON unit serving under his commandment in the Chechen region.
Trial Watch would like to remind its users that any person charged by national or international authorities is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
