Lviv: 31-year-old dies after night in police custody

Mykhailo Stadnyk, 31, died after spending 12 hours in the district police station. There were 51 marks from blows on his body, with bruises even on his heels. The police claim that he hit his head when he fell.

The TV channel 1 + 1, which earlier this year brought to light the death in police custody of young student, Ihor Indylo, has reported another death, this time after 12 hours in police custody. According to the police, he fell after leaving the station and his death was due to a brain injury. Mykhailo’s relatives are convinced that he was tortured in the police station and find the 50 bruises telling proof of this.

Oleh Mytsyk, a human rights activist, notes that 51 bruises and similar were found on Stadnyk’s body. He points out that these were even on his heels, a favourite place for those applying torture methods.

The forensic examination confirmed the bruises but said that they could have appeared as the result of medical assistance, including from indirect massage of the heart and a defibrillator. Yet the nurse who was part of the call-out team says that aside from two injections, no other measures were taken.

The police deny any involvement and claim that the man injured himself when (they allege) he robbed basements. The Head of the Lviv City Police Department, Stanislav Bronevytsky allege that he was not sober and that there were marks from injections on his arms.

Mykhailo Stadnyk’s relatives have a refusal from the District Prosecutor to initiate a criminal investigation over unlawful acts by the police. However the Regional Prosecutor has already revoked this decision and an extra forensic examination has been ordered to determine the cause of the young man’s injuries. The dead man’s mother says she will agree to even an exhumation so that the killers of her son are punished.

Mykhailo Stadnyk was a month off his 32nd birthday. He leaves a 6-year-old son.