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Manifesto on Secret Investigation Office abolishment issued
February 21 (March 4) 1762 Peter III issued a Manifesto on the abolishment of Secret Investigation Office - the central state institution of Russia, the body of political investigation and trial.
The Manifesto of Peter III stated: "... by following Our philanthropy and charity, and making a last effort to protect innocent from arrests and sometimes even from torture... from now on the Secret Investigative Affairs Office does not exist, it is abolished ....". its affairs were transferred to the Senate.
The Secret Office was established by Peter I in 1718 to investigate the case of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich. In its early years the agency functioned in parallel to the Preobrazhensky Office, which was performing similar functions. Later the two institutions merged into one. At the head of the Secret Office, as well as the Preobrazhensky Office, was Peter I, who was often present at the interrogations and torture of political prisoners.
The practice of denunciation and accusation anyone of a state crime, which had been very common since the time of Empress Anna Ivanovna, offered great opportunities for settling a score with somebody and non-judicial discretion. The expression "word and deed", uttered by anyone, entailed the arrest and tortures, under which it was difficult not to admit any "plots".
According to the Manifesto of the abolishment of the Secret Office, the expression "word and deed" was forbidden to use, "and if henceforth anyone uses it, being drunk or during a fight, or in effort to avoid the beatings and punishment, he should be punished the way the police punishes duds and mobs. "Word and Deed", cried out in ignorance and without malice, were left without consequences, but "false and fully uncovered informers were to be punished under the law, so that their example could help others to improve.
Anyone who wanted to inform about a "malicious intent" against the health and honor of the emperor or the mutiny and treason, was to come to the nearest court or military commander and submit a denunciation in writing; criminals could not be informants on any matters.
All the provisions of the Manifesto had the force of law throughout the empire; the exception was made for those places where the Emperor was at the time, and where he could administer his trial. Those who wished to inform the Emperor on important matters should refer to specially authorized persons - Lieutenant-General Lev Naryshkin and Alexei Melgunov and secret Secretary Dmitry Volkov.
The same year of 1762, under the Decree of Empress Catherine II, was established the Secret Expedition under the Senate, which replaced the Secret Investigation Office. After the liquidation of the Secret Expedition, its functions were assigned to the 1st and 5th Departments of the Senate.
Lit.: Веретенников В. И. История Тайной канцелярии петровского времени. Харьков, 1910; Есипов Г. Государево дело // Древняя и новая Россия. 1880. № 4; Семевский М. Слово и дело. СПб., 1884; Симбирцев И. Первая спецслужба России: тайная канцелярия Петра I и её преемники, 1718-1825. М., 2006.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials: