According to materials available to the CC, certain obkom and kraikom secretaries, apparently wishing to rid themselves of reproach, very readily give their consent to the NKVD organs for the arrest of individual leaders, directors, technical directors, engineers and technicians, and designers in industry, transport, and other sectors. The CC reminds you that neither the secretary of an obkom or kraikom, nor the secretary of a CC of a national communist party, and still less other party-soviet leaders in the localities, have the right to give consent for such arrests. The CC VKP(b) obliges you to be guided by the long-established CC rule, binding both on party-soviet organizations in the localities and on the NKVD organs, according to which leaders, directors, technical directors, engineers, technicians, and designers may be arrested only with the consent of the relevant People's Commissar, and in case of disagreement between the parties regarding the arrest or non-arrest of a given person, the parties may apply to the CC VKP(b) for resolution of the matter.

Stalin.

Zhukov Yu.N. The Other Stalin. Moscow, 2003. Pp. 369-370.

RGASPI F. 558. Op. 11. D. 56. L. 20.