TW: torture
The Solidarity zone team learned that Rouslan Sidiki had been tortured after his detention almost as soon as the independent lawyer began work. However, it was important to obtain documentary evidence of the mutilation that was observed when he entered the SIZO (pre-trial detention centre). Now, some months later, his lawyer Igor Popovsky has now managed obtain that document.
From the report on the medical investigation:
"Multiple infected exposed wounds on the scalp and both wrists. Injuries to soft tissues on the left side around the eye. Injuries to soft tissues, resolving spinal haematomas."
From the lawyer's interview with Rouslan Sidiki:
"A man who looked around 50 years old, wearing civilian clothing, began to say that if I did not immediately confess to causing the explosion, then they would take me out of the city and would frame me for attempted flight, so they would legally be allowed to shoot me, and that they would torture me first.
Once I had agreed to cooperate and give testimony, they asked me if I had any chronic illnesses. After I responded 'no', one of them hit me over the head and I fell to the floor.
There were no fewer than six people in the interrogation room at that moment. While I lay on the floor, they stepped on my hands and feet so that I couldn't move them, although I didn't offer any kind of resistance. They exposed part of my legs in the area of my ankles, and I felt that they were tying something to me [...] later one of them said to someone, 'Ring!'
From that moment an electric current was discharged through my body, making my muscles contract violently from the unbearable pain. I screamed and hit my head against the floor. One of them stood in front of me and was filming me on their telephone. Because I was screaming, they gagged my mouth [...] I cannot say exactly how long the torture lasted, as after a few electric shocks I was slipping out of consciousness, but I can say that it was unbearably painful.
In between the discharges, unidentified people asked me questions, and if my answer did not satisfy them, then they continued to shock me. [...] they asked if I was planning another explosion, and I answered that I was not, and after that they continued to torture me. I was already on the brink, and understood, that in order to stop them I would have to say at least something."
Rouslan Sidiki and his lawyer Igor Popovsky sent their reports about the crimes committed to the chair of the Investigative Committee, demanding "to bring to justice those individuals who inflicted upon R. K. Sidiki physical and moral abuse, threats, blackmail, and also torture, following his arrest, in order to force him to give testimony."
To recap, Rouslan Sidiki is an anarchist from Ryazan, and a citizen of Russia and Italy. He is charged with blowing up railways, drone attacks on the military aerodrome Dyagilevo, and also with preparation for another act of sabotage on the railways. Sidiki is charged under the articles on "acts of terrorism", "studying in order to carry out terrorist activity", and also with the use of explosive devices. Taking the charges together, the anarchist faces from 15 to 30 years or life imprisonment.
Rouslan does not consider his actions — the detonation of the rails under a goods train and the drone attack on the military aerodrome — to be acts of terrorism. He says that his aim was to damage military infrastructure. Sidiki acted in order to prevent harm to people.
You can support Rouslan by writing to him!
✉️ Address for letters:
Russia, 125130, Москва, ул. Выборгская, д. 20, СИЗО-5Sidiki Rouslan Kasemovich, born 1988 (Сидики Руслан Касемович 1988 г. р.)
📧 You can write via PrisonMail.Online service: "Moscow" ⮕ "SIZO-5 Vodnik"
ℹ️ How can I write letters to political prisoners in Russia?
Solidarity zone is providing support to Rouslan Sidiki.
На русском
#writingletters #english