Russian Police Charged Over Detainee Death

Tatar Interior Minister Asgat Safarov

KAZAN, Russia -- A Russian police officer involved in the alleged torture death of a man in police custody has been charged with abuse of office and forging documents.

Ilshat Garifullin, 25, is one of eight policemen suspended by Interior Minister Asgat Safarov in Russia's central Republic of Tatarstan over the death of Sergei Nazarov.

Garifullin confessed to illegally arresting Nazarov last week in Tatarstan's capital, Kazan, and forging the arrest papers.

Garifullin arrested Nazarov, 52, for suspected hooliganism on March 9.

Nazarov was later taken from the police station to a hospital, where he died.

Nazarov spoke to doctors before his death and alleged that four policemen had severely beaten him and raped him with a wine bottle.

Rights activists have called for the Tatar interior minister's firing over the case.

With RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir and Russian services, Interfax, and regional media reporting