Moscow police beat 15-year-old after AI facial recognition system misidentifies him as drug suspect
Moscow police beat a schoolboy after an AI-powered facial recognition system mistakenly flagged him as a criminal suspect, journalist Ksenia Sobchak reported.
The incident took place in early May in Moscow’s Lomonosovsky District, the boy’s father said. Two police officers attacked the 15-year-old from behind, knocked him to the ground, and beat him — then took him to a police station and accused him of distributing drugs.
Police did not call the boy’s mother until two hours later, telling her that her son was a suspect based on data from an AI system that had allegedly found an 85–90% match with a person named in a wanted notice. After questioning, the mother and son were released. Doctors later diagnosed the teenager with a concussion, a head injury, hematomas, bruises, and abrasions.
According to the official police account, the teenager actively resisted arrest, and officers used “combat fighting techniques” against him. The boy’s parents have appealed to the Investigative Committee, Russia’s principal federal investigative agency, but for four months have received only form letters saying a review is underway.
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