Press Release, 27.09.2022

Photo: An ambulance takes Artyom Kamardin to hospital from the Investigative Committee for the Tervskoy District in Moscow / Photo from social media

The Yabloko faction in the Moscow City Duma appealed to the Public Prosecutor of Moscow Denis Popov demanding a thorough check of the facts of violence, that became known yesterday, against civil activists Artyom Kamardin, Alexandra Popova, and Alexander Menyukov and bringing the perpetrators to criminal liability.

On 26 September, a group of law enforcement officers broke into the apartment of civil activists to conduct a so-called “inspection of the premises”, however, they did not have a court warrant required for a search. The police used violence: the activists were beaten, mocked, and threatened. After that, the young people were taken to the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee for the Tverskoy district of Moscow.

In the evening, Telegram channels circulated a video showing Artyom Kamardin and other activists standing with their hands tied on their knees and with marks of beatings on their faces. There is information that Kamardin was raped with a dumbbell.

Alexandra Popova, after being detained, was diagnosed with a concussion, bruising of the soft tissues of the head, thighs and shin during a medical examination. She said that the security forces bullied her in the apartment: they stuck stickers on her face with superglue, pulled out her hair, threatened her with rape, and showed a video of bullying Artyom Kamardin.

After detention, doctors discovered that Alexander Menyukov had multiple bruises in around his right auricle, left wrist joint and back.

The appeal, signed by Maxim Kruglov, head of the Yabloko faction of the Moscow City Duma, notes that these actions may contain the elements of a crime under Article 286 Part 4 of the Criminal Code “Abuse of official powers committed with the use of torture”. The Public Prosecutor’s Office should check the facts and bring the perpetrators to justice.