Russian Investigative Committee opens criminal case against Avakov

03.04.2018 16:17

Ukrinform

The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case against Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov because of "obstruction of Russians during the vote in the Russian presidential election," reads a report posted on the committee's website.

"The main investigative directorate of the Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case against Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov for obstructing the free exercise by Russian citizens of their electoral rights in the Russian presidential election (clause 'v,' Part 2, Article 141 of the Russian Criminal Code)," reads the report.

According to the committee, Avakov "gave instructions to employees of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry who ensured the protection and security of Russian diplomatic institutions in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa and Kharkiv not to let to polling stations citizens of the Russian Federation who stayed on Ukrainian territory on March 18, 2018 for participation in the presidential election."

"The legitimate rights and interests of citizens, guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, were grossly violated as a result of criminal acts of Avakov and other persons," the committee said.

As reported, on March 16, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov published a statement on his Facebook page saying that only persons with diplomatic status would have access to Russian diplomatic missions in Ukraine on the day of the Russian presidential election on March 18.