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On March 18, in Petrozavodsk City Court judge Alexander Smirnov sentenced six defendants in the case of the death of 14 children on Syamozero lake.
Director of the camp “Syamozero Park Hotel”, Elena Reshetova, and her deputy, Vadim Vinogradov, will spend 9,5 years in a penal colony. Instructor Valery Krupoderschikov was sentenced to 8 months in a penal colony settlement, but he was released from punishment due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. Another instructor, Pavel Ilyin, head of the Karelian Rospotrebnadzor, Anatoly Kovalenko, and acting head of the Rospotrebnadzor department for Karelia Lyudmila Kotovich are justified.
The court satisfied the claims of parents of the dead children for compensation. The total amount of lawsuits to Elena Reshetova is 21 million 100 thousand rubles, Vadim Vinogradov – 18 million 085 thousand rubles, Valery Krupoderschikov – 1 million 150 thousand rubles.
“There are no innocents here – only guilty. It was a cold-blooded murder with extreme cruelty. Children in cold water for six hours... Without any help. Although they could have this help. Krupnoderschikov could call, he had a connection, but he did not. He was partially punished, he escaped from justice, although he could save children, and he simply abandoned children and swam away. A little 12-year-old girl with an injured ankle saved the boys. Boys, thank God, are alive. Girls are not,” parents commented on the verdict of the court.
The tragedy on Syamozero occurred on June 18, 2016, during a storm on the lake one of the boats with the pupils of the “Park-Hotel Syamozero” camp turned over. 14 children drowned.
In December 2018, the parties debated in court. Prosecutors spoke for three days. They asked for 9,5 years of imprisonment for Elena Reshetova, director of the camp, eight years for her deputy Vadim Vinogradov, instructors Valery Krupoderschikov and Pavel Ilyin – six years and four years of imprisonment, respectively, serving time in penal colony of general regime. For the leaders of the Karelian Rospotrebnadzor, Lyudmila Kotovich and Anatoly Kovalenko, the prosecution requested six years in prison with serving a term in a penal colony. Lyudmila Kotovich – with a three-year ban to hold public office.
Another four days parents of the dead children, the defendants and their lawyers spoke.
In January 2019, the judge heard the last word of the defendants and went to the deliberation room for sentencing.
Details on the Syamozero tragedy can be found in the «7x7» materials.
Sergey Markelov, author's photo, «7x7»
