After the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Russia had appealed to the Prosecutor’s Office of Saratov Region the right of citizen G. to access to justice was restored. The red tape was eliminated and a criminal case against a dishonest director of a utility company was launched. The above was reported by the Prosecutor’s Office of Engels in the official reply submitted to the Office of the High Commissioner.

In March 2016, resident of Engels petitioned the High Commissioner with a complaint about procrastination and inaction of the MIA stuffers. The complainant reported that residents of multifamily buildings in Engels had submitted a collective complaint to the Prosecutor’s Office of the city in September 2015. They complained on fraud actions of the Director of the Utility Company ‘Our House’.

Within a month, the Prosecutor’s Office reported it had revealed the indications of fraud character of the official’s actions. Therefore, the materials were transferred to the Intermunicipal Department of the MIA of Russia ‘Engelsskoe’ for the further investigation. However, half a year later, the MIA bodies had not informed the complainants about the investigation’s results.

On 25 April, having examined the situation, the High Commissioner addressed the Prosecutor’s Office of Saratov Region, and an inspection was held. On 30 May, a criminal case against the director of the utility company was launched under Article 159, Part 3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (Fraud). Thus, the rights of the complainant were restored only after the interference of the High Commissioner and the regional Prosecutor’s Office.