Moscow - The Investigations Committee has cast light on the circumstances surrounding the return of opposition activist Leonid Razvozzhayev from Ukraine to Russia, determining that Razvozzhayev returned to Russia in a taxi.
“The investigators have investigated Razvozzhayev’s abduction and found that he approached the border in a taxi, got out of the car, went through passport control, the car also went through passport control, got into the same car, and drove all the way to Moscow in it,” Vladimir Markin from the Investigations Department said in an exclusive interview with Interfax.
“He entered Ukraine illegally. The Main Investigations Department of the Investigations Committee opened a criminal case against Leonid Razvozzhayev,” Markin said.
Markin said Razvozzhayev is suspected of illegally crossing the state border of the Russian Federation. According to the investigators, Razvozzhayev bought a train ticket to Kyiv on October 15, 2012, using his brother’s passport, and crossed the Russian border without valid documents.
Leonid Razvozzhayev’s request to open a criminal case on the basis of his abduction and torture was earlier declined. “The information on his abduction and torture disseminated in the mass media, which was contained in Razvozzhayev’s statement, was not objectively confirmed and the investigators decided not to open a criminal case,” Markin said.
“The fact of Leonid Razvozzhayev’s voluntary entry in Russia from Ukraine on October 19, 2012, when he was allegedly abducted, is confirmed by a border checkpoint mark in his foreign travel passport,” Markin said.
A medical evaluation conducted immediately after Razvozzhayev’s detention showed no evidence of any physical violence, Markin said.
Left Front activist Leonid Razvozzhayev is a suspect in three criminal cases. On October 22, 2012, it was reported that he had been detained on suspicion of inciting mass disturbances. He was also charged with assault (the incident took place in Angarsk 15 years ago, but the investigation was never completed).
Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said on December 4 that the committee had opened another criminal case against Razvozzhayev, this time around on charges of illegal border crossing. According to investigators, Razvozzhayev, who was aware of the inquiry started after the Anatomy of Protest-2 film, decided to flee Russia on October 15 using his brother’s passport.
