An anti-war activist has died in police custody in southern Russia after receiving death threats from law enforcement officials, his lawyer told the OVD-Info human rights monitor late Wednesday.
Anatoly Berezikov, 40, was detained last month on suspicion of hanging pro-Ukrainian leaflets in the city of Rostov-on-Don, some 60 kilometers south of eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
The leaflets advertised an intelligence hotline for Russian servicemen seeking to surrender to the Ukrainian armed forces.
Berezikov’s lawyer Irina Gak said she witnessed medical personnel loading the activist’s body into a vehicle Wednesday while she was trying to gain access to him.
Gak said the guards at the detention center where Berezikov was held had told her he was not in the facility at the time.
An on-duty officer later told OVD-Info that Berezikov had “committed suicide.”
Gak said Berezikov had faced intimidation, threats and violence from law enforcement officials during his detention.
The lawyer said she noticed taser marks on Berezikov’s body on the eve of his death.
Authorities were preparing to charge Berezikov with treason, according to the human rights project Perviy Otdel.
It said Berezikov’s three consecutive detentions after serving administrative sentences on misdemeanor charges fit a pattern that “often [precedes] the initiation of treason cases.”
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
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 every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
