Russian investigators take issue with the children's rights commissioner's dumb question to survivors of lake disaster

Russia’s Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin criticized Children’s Rights Commissioner Pavel Astakhov for comments he made to young women who survived the tragedy at Lake Syamozero in Karelia, which left 10 children dead on June 19. Astakhov asked the girls: “How was your swim?”

In Markin’s opinion, the investigators involved in the case had already asked all the necessary questions to everyone involved, and it was not appropriate to pose such sensitive questions in the absence of a qualified psychologist.

“Believe me, investigators are working [hard] to report on the matter and most certainly not to stir up hype. The Investigative Committee will establish the circumstances and causes of the crime [in order] to prevent such tragedies in the future. And this will be done in compliance with both the law and norms of morality and ethics,” Markin said.

On Friday morning, the Committee launched a criminal investigation against a female paramedic who allegedly did not respond to the call of one of the victims. On Thursday evening, the committee opened two cases against the staff of Park Hotel Syamozero camp and its director.

On Thursday, Astakhov visited the two surviving girls in the hospital and asked them how their swim had gone. He later claimed that his words were taken out of context and explained that he was trying to use special psychological techniques to extract important information for the investigation.