Featured Image Credit: TATYANA MAKEYEVAOLGA MALTSEVA/AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Russia, Terrorism, World News, Crime
Emily Brown
Topics: Russia, Terrorism, World News, Crime
Shocking details have emerged of alleged torture faced by four men who were arrested and charged with attacking a concert hall in Russia.
At least 137 people died in the attack at Crocus City Hall in Moscow on Friday (March 22), when gunmen opened fire.
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The Islamic State group responded after the attack to say it was responsible, with video evidence posted online to back its claim.
Russian officials have insisted Ukraine was involved in the attack in some way, despite a lack of evidence to back the claim. Authorities in Ukraine have described the accusation as 'absurd'.
In the wake of the attack, four men were arrested and charged with committing an act of terrorism. Russian authorities named the men as Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Saidakrami Murodali Rachabalizoda, Shamsidin Fariduni and Muhammadsobir Fayzov, from Tajikistan.
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They have since appeared in court, where they arrived with injuries including black eyes, suggesting they had been beaten.
One of the men, Faizov, was brought to court in a wheelchair, with reports noting he appeared to have an eye missing. He was wearing a hospital gown, and was attended by medics in court.
Videos circulating online claim to show the interrogations the men faced by Russian security services following their arrests.
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Circulated by Russian bloggers and cited by The Guardian, one of the videos appears to show one of the suspects having his ear cut off and stuffed into his mouth.
When the suspects appeared in court, one of them noticeably had a large bandage covering the area over his ear.
Another video appears to show security beating one of the suspects with the butts of their rifles and kicking him.
On Telegram, images were posted which appeared to show one of the suspects with a wire attached to his groin area.
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The Grey Zone Telegram Channel claimed that the wire delivered 80 volts of electricity to the man’s groin area, while water was allegedly also poured on to his head to intensify the effects.
When it came time for the suspects to appear in court, videos showed them being marched into the building while bent double.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the alleged torture faced by the suspects.
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In court, Mirzoyev is said to have 'admitted his guilt in full' while Rachabalizoda also 'admitted guilt', according to a statement posted on Telegram.
The court added that all four men are set to be held in pre-trial detention until at least May 22.