Court cases opened in Russian convent abuse scandal

Child abuse in an orthodox convent is no longer just a spiritual problem – the courts are getting involved.

The recent scandal in the Svyato-Bogolyubovsky convent has led to two criminal cases after repeated allegations of child cruelty by nuns.

However, the investigation has no particular suspects as no individual is made responsible for children’s lives and welfare by existing laws.

Two cases, no suspects

This reveals a loophole in current legislation, according to Lyubov Dukhanina, a member of the Russian Public Chamber.

“The position of the Public Chamber is that the legislative base should be developed in order to control shelters and ensure they meet the standards,” she told The Moscow News, adding that the Public Chamber has prepared amendments to the Education Law that should prevent such situations in the future.

Not just the church

Faced with the threat of court action, the church is keen to widen the focus of public concern.

“There are cases when children run away from state child-care institutions, and the situation shouldn’t be discussed in a one-sided way,” archpriest Andrei Voronin, the director of an orthodox orphanage in Kovalyov told the Miloserdie web-site.

But whatever the nature of the organization, it cannot operate above the law.

“The standards for educational institutions apply regardless their type and the licensing procedure should ensure they are met. The same should apply to shelters,” Dukhanina said.

Early stages

According to Pavel Astakhov, Russia’s children’s rights ombudsman, there are two cases – over illegal confinement and torture charges.

“The decision to initiate the cases followed the pre-investigation probe. This means the suspects haven’t been defined yet, and the investigation should find out if charges are to be filed,” he told RIA Novosti.

Earlier this week, the Investigative Committee stated on its official website that only one illegal confinement case had been opened after two girls who escaped the Vladimir Region monastery at the beginning of October came to police reporting on “the difficulties they were facing while they lived in the convent, including potential violation of their rights.” 

History of complaints

This is not the first time that children have escaped this convent complaining of regular abuse and mistreatment. According to them, the difficulties they face included exhausting work in the convent’s fields, staying up reading psalms, eating a cup of salt, starvation and physical abuse.

Valya Perova wrote her letters to the president and patriarch after she ran away over a year ago, but the first public prayer for aid wasn’t heard then. The inspection found no reasons to start a criminal case, although RIA Novosti reported the Church commission found “pedagogical mistakes at the convent” and promised to check the execution of their recommendations.

The story repeated this autumn when two more girls escaped and reported on abuse to the police.

The topic hit the headlines again, and the investigation has finally moved on.