Two Kondopoga brawlers sentenced

Initially, they were charged with hooliganism and battery, but the charges of hooliganism were later dropped.

According to the inquest led by judge Vasily Fedotov, Mozgalyov and Pliyev started the massive brawl in Kondopoga’s Chaika restaurant on August 30, 2006. In that clash migrants of Chechen descent killed two local residents and gravely injured eight others. Some 20 men participated in the incident.

On September 2, 2006 street unrest and violence followed. Police detained about 120 rioters. Eleven of them faced criminal charges.

The lawyers of Mozgalyov and Pliyev said they would appeal the court's decision within ten days.

Also on Tuesday, Karelian prosecutors brought charges of negligence against former chief of the Kondopoga precinct Lt-Col Alexander Chechelnitsky.

Chechelnitsky is on recognizance. If found guilty, he may face a fine of up to 120,000 roubles or six to 12 months of community work, Tatyana Kordyukova, senior aide to the Karelian prosecutor, told Itar-Tass.

Kordyukova said the police chief, because of "improper performance of his duties, failed to stop illegal actions and mass disturbances."

Charges of negligence were also brought against deputy chief of Karelia's public security department Viktor Vysokikh and duty officer of the Kondopoga precinct Alexei Kostin. Itar-Tass