A scandal marked yesterday the resumption of hearings in the Novosibirsk Regional Court in the case of the brother of Olympic champion Alexander Tikhonov, Viktor, accused of preparing an assassination attempt on the governor of the Kemerovo region, Aman Tuleyev. He told the court that from now on he refuses to participate in the trial, give evidence and answer questions. Mr. Tikhonov explained this by saying that “FSB informants are being planted in his cell in the pre-trial detention center” in order to threaten him into giving a “confession.” If the court decides to forcefully bring him to the trial, Viktor Tikhonov promised to start a fight in prison in order to get into a punishment cell. Previously, he claimed that the special services created unbearable conditions for him under arrest, but the audit did not confirm this.
