Pavel Dobryansky, the third assistant to the captain of the Russian trawler “Amur”, was sentenced to three years in prison in Japan, suspended for five years. The prosecution asked for 3.5 years. In May 2021, the ship collided with the Japanese fishing sailboat Hokko-maru-8, killing three people.
RIA Novosti writes that the decision was made by the district court of the Japanese city of Asahikawa (Hokkaido Prefecture). Russian Noriaki Nakamura’s lawyer has told the agency that his client has been found guilty but will not serve his sentence in prison. However, if Dobryansky commits a second offense, the duration of this sentence is added to the new one.
“Actually, this is akin to a five-year suspended sentence. According to the lawyer, because [Добрянского] No visa [у него только паспорт моряка. – прим. «Газеты.Ru»]He will be deported to the Russian Federation,” he said.
RIA Novosti writes that suspended sentences are often given in the Japanese judicial system. Thus, if the accused does not commit a crime within the specified postponement period, he will not go to prison.
What’s wrong with the sailor?
On 26 May 2021, the 23-crew Russian trawler Amur set sail from Korsakov for Mombetsu in Hokkaido with a load of crab. At a distance of 23 km from the Japanese port, a 662-ton ship collided with a 10-ton sailboat with 5 people on it. The Japanese ship capsized and killed three of her five crew.
The Russian embassy in Tokyo offered its condolences in connection with the death of the fishermen.
A criminal case was brought against Pavel Dobryansky, the third assistant of the Amur captain, for negligence and improper management of the ship. At the end of June of the same year, the seafarer was referred to the category of defendant, and the case was brought to the court. Under the same articles, the captain of a Japanese fishing sailboat was found guilty and sentenced to three years of probation.
In parallel with Japanese law enforcement, Russian investigators initiated a procedural check in accordance with Part 3 of Art. 263 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation “Violation of traffic safety rules and the operation of railway, air, sea and inland water transport.”
In September 2022, Dobryansky’s trial began in Japan. The Russian sailor’s defense insisted on his innocence and questioned the prosecution’s allegations.
In particular, the lawyer of Russian Nakamura told RIA Novosti in March of this year that the investigative experiment carried out at sea by the security service was extremely careless.
Also, the defense emphasized that due to heavy fog at the time of the tragedy, the visibility range was 10-15 m (this was also confirmed by the Far East Transport Research Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia), and therefore, the Japanese gulet, made of plastic, the radar could not see it.
The lawyer stressed that Japanese fishermen do not follow the radar and do not respond to radio signals in the VHF band. As another argument of innocence, Nakamura stressed that the Amur covered 400 m in two minutes when the engine was stopped, so a fast small Japanese boat had to leave and maneuver.