Ihor Indylo should have turned 21 on 18 May

Meetings have taken place in many parts of Ukraine in memory of a young student who died on the eve of his twentieth birthday.

Ihor Indylo died in police custody on the night from 17 to 18 May 2010.  He had committed no offence, went voluntarily to the police station, apparently after an altercation with a police officer living in the same student hostel. He died from head injuries and haemorrhaging.  After a report on the TV 1 + 1 Channel, the story became high-profile, and the police assertion Ihor fell in a state of inebriation was insultingly unconvincing.

A criminal investigation was initiated and in November the Kyiv Prosecutor’s Office announced that it was handing the case to the court.  The Prosecutor denies that Ihor Indylo was killed, just “inadequately watched over”  Two police officers are charged, but not with Ihor’s death.  

The police officer, Serhiy Prykhodko, who took Ihor Indylo to the police station is accused of exceeding his official powers with this involving violations and actions denigrating the victim’s dignity, yet without any signs of torture.  The Senior Inspector of the Shevchenkivsky District Police Station, Serhiy Kovalenko is also charged with negligence.  

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, “the investigation’s version that the police officers were implicated in inflicting fatal injuries on Indylo did not find objective confirmation.”

The case has in fact been sent back for additional investigation.

The meetings around the country were held to remember one young man whose death has never been fully explained and to call for an end to police violence and impunity.