Support The Moscow Times!

Former Russian Prison Official Put Behind Bars for Torture

Dmitry Serebryakov / TASS

The former deputy head of a labor colony in the central Russian city Yekaterinburg has been sentenced to six and a half years behind bars for torturing inmates.

The case against Mikhail Belousov was opened in February last year after the local news site 66.ru published a video of prisoners being tortured, the opposition-leaning Dozhd TV network reported Monday.

In an online statement, the Sverdlovsk region Investigative Committee said Belousov and five former inmates were convicted of physical and mental mistreatment as well as sexual violence.

Belousov is barred from holding public office for three years and has been stripped of his rank as a lieutenant colonel.

The Investigative Committee said Belousov formed a group of prisoners loyal to the administration to beat other convicts in return for privileges.

The inmates videotaped the torture of their fellow prisoners to prove to him they had followed his orders, Dozhd reported.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more