The number of wanted criminals has increased in the Vitebsk region

Under the chairmanship of the First Deputy Prosecutor of the Vitebsk Region, Alexander Sidorovich, an interdepartmental meeting was held via video conferencing on the issue of compliance with the law during the investigation of criminal cases where the accused have absconded from the criminal prosecution authority, and the enforcement of legislation on their search.

The event was attended by the management and staff of preliminary investigation bodies, territorial internal affairs bodies, the UDFFR of the State Control Committee of the Republic of Belarus for the Vitebsk Region, the UDIN of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus for the Vitebsk Region, and prosecutors of cities and districts of the region.

The meeting noted that in the Vitebsk region, there is a negative trend towards an increase in the backlog of wanted criminals from 353 to 372 (+19 persons), including in the Pervomaysky, Oktyabrsky, Zheleznodorozhny districts of Vitebsk, Shumilinsky, Verkhnedvinsky, Dubrovensky districts.

The increase in wanted criminals occurred among persons declared wanted by preliminary investigation bodies and courts, mainly those who committed less serious crimes, predominantly property theft from citizens and legal entities, as well as parents evading payment of child support.

Also, in the region, there is an increase (from 262 to 298) in criminal cases, the preliminary investigation of which has been suspended on the grounds of clause 2 of part 1 of Article 246 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Belarus (Vitebsky, Gluboksky, Gorodoksky, Shumilinsky, Polotsky districts, Novopolotsk city).

During the inspections of the situation on the ground regarding the identified violations of the legislation on the search for criminals, prosecutors of cities and districts took measures of prosecutorial response against the heads of territorial internal affairs bodies.

Following the meeting, an algorithm of actions was developed aimed at significantly improving the quality of search and investigative work to establish the whereabouts of wanted criminals.

V. Rudenkov, D. Merguryev.