Russian authorities carry out multiple raids in crackdown on anti-torture group, accusing suspects of ‘propagating’ prison violence

Police in five regions across Russia arrested suspects in an extremism case targeting an online group that publishes footage of violence against prisoners and detainees. Officials say the community in question “entices” inmates by appealing to Russia’s outlawed “AUE” criminal subculture and supposedly incites men against guards and goads them to attack other inmates to create “propaganda” videos for public release.

Human rights activist Roman Rugevich, who last year won asylum in France, told the news outlet Mediazona that the investigation is aimed at his anti-torture project, Anti Pytki, but he added that no one swept up in Wednesday’s arrests is actually involved in his group.