The driver of Verzilov and Varlamov, detained in South Sudan, spoke about electric shock torture and beatings

The driver of Mediazona publisher Pyotr Verzilov and blogger Ilya Varlamov, Isaac Lotwal, said that after being detained in South Sudan, security forces tortured him with electric shocks and beat him. Verzilov reported this to Mediazona.

“The national security service beat him and demanded that he confess where the drone was,” added Pussy Riot member Verzilov. Security officials claimed that the Russians “bought” the driver.

When Lotwal noted that the detainees had already explained that the drone had previously been seized in Uganda, he was thrown to the floor. Three people beat him with sticks. Wires from the “machine” were connected to the driver’s fingers and current was turned on, Verzilov relayed his story.

member A Pussy Riot noted that during the interrogation they heard screams. “It turns out it was him,” the publisher noted.

According to Verzilov, Lotval went to the hospital after the beating and said that now he “can barely sit.”

The governor of Eastern Equatoria province, Louis Lobong Lohor, apologized to the Russians and the driver on behalf of South Sudanese President Salvatore Kiir for the “unfortunate incident.”

The Mediazona publisher added that Lotwal told the governor in detail about the torture and beatings. He promised to conduct an investigation.

Verzilov, Varlamov, his wife Lyubov Varlamova and the director of the European Gymnasium Ivan Bogdantsev were detained on the afternoon of January 13 in the city of Capoeta because of the drone remote control in the blogger’s luggage. The drone itself was previously seized in Uganda. Local security officials claimed that the Russians could have filmed military installations from a drone. In the evening the detainees were released .