The Privolzhskiy district court of Kazan announced a verdict for two former police officers of the Dalniy police department: Ilshat Garifullin, 25, and Ramil Nigmatzyanov,37. They were sentenced to 2,5 and 2 years in prison respectively.

According to investigators, in March 2012 Garifullin was working on a case of phone theft. He and Nigmatzyanov detained 52-year-old Sergey Nazarov who they thought may have stolen a phone. They brought Nazarov to a police department where they fabricated an administrative case against him on "disorderly conduct." Nazarov refused to sign the protocol, and, as investigators claim, other policemen started to torture the detainee. The next day Nazarov felt unwell. He was taken to a hospital where he died of traumatic enterorrhexis. Before he died Nazarov said that policemen had raped him with a bottle of champagne.

During the preliminary hearings, the defendants admitted their guilt about fabricating the case against Nazarov, but said they did not apply any physical strength against Nazarov.

On Tuesday they addressed the court with closing statements.

Ilshat Garifullin apologized in front of the relatives of Sergey Nazarov.

"I am deeply sorry for what I did. I am asking you not to punish me too toughly," Interfax news agency cited Garifullin as saying.
The second defendant, Ramil Nigmatzyanov, refused to address the court.
Garifullin's lawyer mentioned that his client was not linked with the rape of Nazarov.

Garifullin and Nigmatzyanov are charged with abuse of power and forgery by an official.

Four ex-policemen from Dalniy are charged with the death of Nazarov. According to investigators, 23-year-old Ilnur Ibatullin, 24-year-olds Almaz Vasilov and Ramil Akhmetzyanov and 25-year-old Fail Sabirzyanov raped Sergey Nazarov. They are charged with intended infliction of harm leading to death and abuse of power. Their cases have not yet been passed to the court.

Sergey Nazarov's case triggered a mass public outcry and led to resignation of high ranking police officials in the republic of Tatarstan.
A similar case caused mass protests in the former Soviet republic of Georgia recently, where videos of rape of prisoners by prison workers were shown on TV. Residents of Georgia's main cities took to the streets to protest against violence towards prisoners. As a result, two ministers were fired from their posts. Mass protests there continue to grow.