Russian filmmakers and students came out in support of those involved in the Network case

Members of the Union of Cinematographers and professional cinematographic organizations and associations of Russia (“Kinosoyuz”) came out in support of those involved in the “Network” case.

As stated in the open letter, the cases of “Network” and “New Greatness” show that “law enforcement agencies themselves have become a real threat to Russian citizens, especially young people.” The filmmakers called for a review of the “unfair, incredibly cruel” sentence to those involved in the “Penza case” and “to punish the investigators who used torture.”

The appeal was signed by directors Boris Khlebnikov, Valery Todorovsky, Marina Razbezhkina, Alexey Fedorchenko, Oksana Bychkova, Askold Kurov, Vitaly Mansky, Alexey Popogrebsky, Andrey Smirnov and other directors, film producers, screenwriters and actors.

Students and graduate students of Russian universities issued their own statement. “The Network case takes us back to the darkest pages of the history of our country, when innocent people were sentenced to decades in camps solely on the basis of torture and denunciations,” the letter says. The signatories demand a review of the verdict.

Russian scientists and science journalists also published a letter in support of the accused on February 12. “The decision in the Network case is a real act of terror, which deals a cruel blow to the foundations of Russian statehood,” the scientists said. They demanded to cancel the sentence, “with senseless cruelty, breaking the fate of our fellow citizens,” and to investigate reports of torture of those involved in the case.

The Volga District Military Court found that the complaints of torture by those involved in the “Network” case were “deliberate misleading of the public.” Fragments from the reasoning part of the verdict were published by the publication “7x7”. They are also cited by Oksana Markeeva, the lawyer of 27-year-old Dmitry Pchelintsev.

According to the court, the reports of torture “are far-fetched, given in accordance with the position chosen by the defense” and to “discredit one’s own initial testimony and give the criminal case significant public resonance.”

The verdicts in the Network case were announced by the court on February 10. Pchelintsev, whom investigators consider the leader of the community, was sentenced to 18 years in a maximum security colony; Ilya Shakursky was sentenced to 16 years in a maximum security colony and a fine of 50 thousand rubles. Andrei Chernov was sentenced to 14 years in a maximum security colony. Maxim Ivankin - 13 years in a maximum security colony. Mikhail Kulkov - to 10 years in a maximum security colony. Vasily Kuksov received nine years in a general regime colony. Arman Sagynbaev - six years in a general regime colony.

In February, the parents of the defendants in the Network case wrote an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin. They called the criminal prosecution of their children illegal and asked the president to pay attention to this matter.

A criminal case against the “terrorist community” “Network” was opened in October 2017. According to investigators, its participants were members of an interregional terrorist organization and were planning to carry out a coup. Those involved in the case stated that they were tortured to extract testimony.