Astakhov Asks for Justice in the Case of Vanya Skorobogatov's Murder

287

November 24, 2011

Published in RIA-Novosti
(Russia) on 18 Novermber 2011
by (link to original link to original)

Translated from by Elizaveta Lyulekina. Edited by Gillian Palmer.

Pavel Astakhov, authorized representative under the President of the Russian Federation for Children's Rights, appealed to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asking for justice in the case of Vanya Skorobogatov. According to the ombudsman, last Friday the court handed down a very mild sentence to his foster parents.

The Court of York, Pennsylvania, found Nanette and Michael Craver guilty of justifiable homicide of an adopted Russian boy, Vanya Skorobogatov, and sentenced them to imprisonment for a term of 16 months to four years.

This means that the real length of their stay in prison will depend on their behavior and other factors, and will be at least 16 months and no more than four years. This norm is provided by the state law.

"I sent a message to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. I think she must take Vanya's case to a higher court and achieve justice," wrote Astakhov on Friday on his Twitter.

In the ombudsman’s opinion, the sentence delivered to the Craver couple is too mild, so the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Office should demand more severe punishment.

The ombudsman wrote in his microblog that he appealed to the U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder. According to the Russian human rights activist, the U.S. Attorney’s Office must investigate the unfoundedly mild sentence.

Seven-year old Nathaniel Craver (Vanya Skorobogatov), from Chelyabinsk Oblast, died on August 24, 2009 in an American hospital from a traumatic brain injury. The child’s death was the result of multiple wounds and beatings, which can be qualified as torture, the Attorney’s Office claimed. There were about 80 injures on the child’s body.

22:05 18/11/2011
МОСКВА, 18 ноя - РИА Новости. Уполномоченный при президенте РФ по правам ребенка Павел Астахов обратился к госсекретарю США Хилари Клинтон с просьбой добиться справедливости в деле Вани Скоробогатова, приемным родителям которого суд в пятницу вынес, по мнению омбудсмена, слишком мягкий приговор.
Суд города Йорк в штате Пенсильвания признал супругов Нанетт и Майкла Краверов в непреднамеренном убийстве усыновленного российского мальчика Вани Скоробогатова и приговорил к тюремному заключению на срок от 16 месяцев до четырех лет.
Это означает, что реальный срок пребывания в заключении будет зависеть от их поведения и других причин, но он составит не менее 16 месяцев и не более 4 лет. Такая норма предусмотрена законодательством штата.
"Направил обращение госсекретарю США Хиллари Клинтон. Считаю, что она должна взять дело Ванечки на особый контроль и добиться справедливости", - написал Астахов в пятницу в своем микроблоге в Twitter.
По мнению омбудсмена, вынесенный чете Кравер приговор - чрезмерно мягкий, и прокуратура Пенсильвании должна требовать более сурового наказания.
Также в своем микроблоге омбудсмен сообщил, что обратился к Генеральному прокурору США Эрику Холдеру. По мнению российского правозащитника, прокуратура США должна опротестовать необоснованно мягкий приговор.
Семилетний Натениэл Кравер (Ваня Скоробогатов) из Челябинской области 24 августа 2009 года скончался в американском госпитале от черепно-мозговой травмы. Смерть ребенка наступила в результате многочисленных ранений и побоев, которые можно расценить как пытку, утверждала прокуратура. На теле ребенка было около 80 ран.

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