Russian stand-up comedian Artemy Ostanin, who was arrested for a joke about a Russian occupier who lost his legs due to a landmine explosion during the war against Ukraine, has complained about torture in Belarus.
This is written about in the Russian Telegram channel.
According to him, after his arrest, Belarusian security forces beat him with batons and tortured him with electric shocks.
Member of the RPL (Human Rights Council) Eva Merkacheva, who was contacted by Ostanin's lawyer, reported that during the convoy from Belarus to Russia, the car with Ostanin drove into the forest. The stand-up comedian was taken out of the car and three people began to beat him, using batons and a taser. It is noted that they mainly beat the comedian on the back and torso, and also allegedly hit his lung, which was damaged after a pneumothorax in 2014.
In Moscow, Ostanin filed a criminal complaint and requested a medical examination. Doctors diagnosed the comedian with a fractured vertebra, abrasions and bruises, and also found problems with his respiratory function and lungs.
The stand-up comedian is currently in SIZO-7 in Moscow's Kapotnya district. The human rights activist points out that he "barely moves around" there.
Recall that the Russian court sent the stand-up comedian to pre-trial detention for a month and 27 days - until May 15.