Translated material
“They hit me on the head with their fists”
16-year-old political prisoner Arseniy Turbin is beaten in a pre-trial detention center and at the same time registered as prone to terrorism
Arseny Turbin. Photo: social networks
Teenager Arseny Turbin, sentenced to 5 years under terrorism charges for distributing leaflets critical of Putin, said in a letter to his mother that in Moscow pre-trial detention center No. 5 he was beaten and the situation in the cell was called “very difficult.” According to his mother, Irina Turbina, she received a letter from her son through the FSIN-letter service, in which Arseniy complained that he was being kept in the same cell with a man who had already beaten him twice and threatened him with further violence. The young political prisoner also said that he was placed on preventive registration as prone to terrorism due to his criminal case.
Fragment from a letter from Arseny Turbin:
“Mom, hello! I'm fine. When will we have a meeting? I really want to see you! I propose to hold a meeting on October 4th. I'll try to call you tomorrow (October 2, 2024). <…> The situation is difficult. (…). This evening after 18:00 they punched me in the head on the bed twice. I was registered as prone to terrorism because of the article. The situation is very difficult and critical. Azizbek beat me and said that I would get kicked at night (only with obscenities). The night will be very difficult. But I will hold on. I already had this experience. July 15 was also a difficult night, but I survived, and in the morning we were resettled. Me, Nikita and Gosha were placed in a four-bed cell. There were three of us there. It was the best cell for me and the best time in the pre-trial detention center. I love you very much! Please forgive me for everything. I am indebted to you. I am very ashamed and was ashamed of all the inconvenience and all the pain that I caused you. But many circumstances, unfortunately, were largely beyond my control. I'm sorry."
16-year-old Arseny comes from the city of Livny, Oryol region. At the end of June, the Second Western District Military Court sentenced him to five years in a correctional colony on charges of participation in a terrorist organization (Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code). According to investigators, in the summer of 2023, he allegedly joined the “Freedom of Russia” legion*, after which he allegedly carried out the instructions of a representative of this organization - he distributed leaflets criticizing Vladimir Putin in mailboxes. Turbin did not admit guilt and insisted that he did not join the legion, but distributed leaflets out of personal convictions.