The recent court appearance of the four men accused of carrying out Russia’s deadliest terror attack in decades has shocked the world. The defendants appeared in a Moscow court on Sunday night, visibly battered and bandaged. One man entered with his partially severed ear covered, while another was in an orange wheelchair with his left eye bulging and a catheter on his lap.
Videos of the men being tortured during interrogation have been circulating widely on social media since Saturday. The brutal treatment of the defendants was showcased in court in a way that Russia had never done before, in what analysts believe was an act of revenge and a warning to potential terrorists.
The videos, spread by nationalistic, pro-war Telegram channels, showed horrific acts of torture, including one defendant having part of his ear sliced off and shoved in his mouth. The public display of such violence is seen as a reflection of how militarized and tolerant of violence Russian society has become since the war in Ukraine began.
While the Kremlin declined to comment on the torture allegations, former President Dmitri A. Medvedev expressed support for the actions taken against the accused. The use of torture in terrorism and murder cases is not new, but the brazen display of it in court has raised concerns about the normalization of violence in Russian society.
Despite international laws outlawing torture, defense lawyers may struggle to have any testimony extracted under torture thrown out. The judge in the recent court hearings largely ignored the defendants’ visible injuries, leading to criticism of the judicial process.
The release of videos showing the torture of the defendants is seen as a message of intimidation to those not aligned with the Kremlin, while also encouraging the military and security services to use violent tactics. Activists and journalists have condemned the use of torture, emphasizing that it is not a normal or acceptable practice.
The shocking events surrounding the court appearance of the terror attack suspects have sparked outrage and raised questions about the use of torture as a tool of justice in Russia.
