Nikita Zhuravel, a student from Volgograd accused of burning the Koran and currently in a pre-trial detention center in Grozny, has been recognized as a political prisoner. This was reported by the human rights project “Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial".

The persecution of Zhuravel violates his rights to a fair trial, protection from torture and inhuman treatment, human rights activists noted.

Let us remind you that a student from Volgograd, Nikita Zhuravel, was detained on May 21 after a video appeared on social networks in which he was burning the Koran in front of a mosque in Volgograd. According to the investigation, the young man admitted that he burned the Koran at the direction of the Ukrainian intelligence services for a reward of 10 thousand rubles. A criminal case was opened against him for insulting the feelings of believers.

On May 21, the head of the Investigative Committee, Bastrykin, transferred the case to Chechnya. At the pre-trial detention center of Grozny, Zhuravel was met by a crowd with posters “We demand the death penalty.” Later, the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, posted a video in which his son Adam, under the supervision of security, beats Zhuravel in a pre-trial detention center.

“The assertion that it was Zhuravel who burned the Koran on the instructions of the Ukrainian special services seems doubtful. Probably, his “confession” was obtained under pressure from the security forces and does not correspond to reality. The transfer of a young man from a pre-trial detention center to Chechnya is contrary to the Criminal Procedure Code. The admission of unauthorized persons into the pre-trial detention center and his beating, publicly approved by the head of Chechnya, are flagrant violations and must be investigated,” Memrial noted.
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