A Russian journalist has accused the security services of torturing him after he was detained for filming an anti-war rally in March.
Documentary maker Sergei Erzhenkov attended a March 4 anti-war rally in the city of Kasimov in western Russia, where he filmed activists spray-painting “Putin — go away” on a Lenin statue. The next day, Federal Security Service (FSB) officers came to Erzhenkov’s home and took him to the local police station.
Erzhenkov told YouTube channel Khodorkovsky Live that he was repeatedly beaten by FSB officers over the two days he spent in custody.
“My wrists still stiffen up sometimes,” Erzhenkov said in the interview.
“Not only was I handcuffed, [the officers] bound me with duct tape, and I spent about five hours like this.”
Erzhenkov said he filed a complaint with law enforcement but has received no response.
Pro-Kremlin Telegram channels reported that a vandalism case has been opened against Erzhenkov.
If found guilty, he faces up to three years in prison.
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