Investigators dismiss torture allegations raised against the FSB by another terrorism suspect

Russia’s Investigative Committee has refused to open a criminal case in response to reports that Federal Security Service agents tortured a second suspect in the “Penza case,” in which several leftist activists are charged with forming a terrorist organization and plotting attacks during the March 2018 presidential election and 2018 FIFA World Cup. Earlier this month, investigators rejected allegations that the FSB tortured another suspect in the same case.

On April 20, the television network NTV aired a report about the “Penza case” suspects, accusing them of plotting a “Maidan-style” revolution in Russia. The report also went after the human rights workers and lawyers who say the FSB tortured the suspects, accusing these people of working for hostile foreign powers.

Earlier in April, two human rights workers and a lawyer for one of the suspects were hounded by reporters who wouldn’t identify themselves. The journalists carried NTV microphones and bombarded them with questions about consorting with ”Ukrainian consuls” and “working with terrorists.” The women, at least one of whom appears to be a freelance stringer, knew where to find these people, leading to suspicions that the FSB tipped them off, perhaps to facilitate a smear campaign in the media.