The Oppressed Russian Police?

It seems that Moscow's police is seeking protection from the their prosecution for the beating of a new recruit. The police on trial are complaining that they are not being treated fairly. According to Gazeta.ru (my translation):

In December 2006, police officers on trial for the beating of the family of a new recruit, Andrei Zuev, appealed to the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, Vladimir Lukin, to protect law enforcement officials from their victims. Members of the 3rd battalion militia stationed in the Western Administrative District of Moscow sent a detailed letter not only Lukin, but also to the director of the Russian Interior Ministry Rashid Nurgaliyev, the Moscow prosecutor Yuri Semin, a representative of the Moscow Cite Court Olga Yegorova, as well as to the media and human rights organizations.

Complaining of aggressive and emotional testimony of Nicholas Zuev [a member of the recruit's family who testified against the police officers], the police claimed that he had "followed [his testimony] with attempts to put pressure on the court through appeals to the media and public opinion." Police officers said: "The media announced in advance that our comrades are criminals."

It seems that the police officers have been insulted given the epithets that have been applied to them: Gestapo, bandits, drunks, and worse in the media and in popular opinion.

The incident in question occurred in August 2006 when police officers showed up at the Zuev apartment to pick up the youngest son to serve in the military. The family argued that the youngest son had medical documentation demonstrating that he was not fit to serve in the military. Shortly afterwards, a major and two police officers showed up at the apartment and an argument ensued with a number of family members being injured.

It seems that the police officers in question would prefer that complaints against the police would never be publicized and that they always be shown in a favorable light.