Suspects in the Moscow attack appeared in a Russian court visibly beaten as they faced charges
Four suspects accused of perpetrating a terrorist attack at a concert hall in Moscow, resulting in the deaths of over 130 individuals, made an appearance in court on Sunday. Photos and videos capturing the suspects entering the courtroom with visible injuries were released by the court. Three of them had noticeable bruises and swelling on their faces, while one was on a stretcher, barely conscious. These images quickly circulated on Russian social media, sparking public outcry. President Vladimir Putin pledged to seek retribution for the attack, although he did not explicitly reference the Islamic State group, which claimed responsibility.
The Basmanny District Court of Moscow identified the suspects as Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, Shamsidin Fariduni, and Mukhammadsobir Faizov. According to the court, two of the suspects confessed their guilt, although concerns arose regarding the circumstances of their confessions due to their physical condition. The court charged all four suspects with committing a terrorist act and stated that they may face life imprisonment. The court ordered their detention until May 22. Additionally, seven other individuals were apprehended on suspicion of involvement in the attack.
According to the Tass state news agency, all four suspects are Tajikistan citizens and required a translator during the court proceedings.
NBC News analyzed footage shared on pro-war Telegram channels in Russia, which depicted the torture and violent interrogations of the suspects. NBC News verified the authenticity of the footage by comparing it to the suspects’ appearance in court. One video showed Saidakrami Rachabalizoda lying on the ground in the woods while another individual used a knife to sever a portion of Rachabalizoda’s ear, subsequently forcing him to consume it. Other videos showed Shamsidin Fariduni being interrogated on the ground, with a man holding his head up by his hair. Subsequently, Fariduni was shown drooling on the floor of a sports hall with his pants and underwear pulled down while an individual stood on his leg.These men are accused of carrying out the deadliest terrorist attack in Russia in the past two decades.
At least 137 people died, and many others were injured when armed individuals fired shots inside Crocus City Hall. Following the shooting, there was an alleged explosion that caused the venue to catch fire and the roof to collapse. The detention hearing for the four suspects took place on Sunday, which coincided with Russia’s national day of mourning. Despite the solemnity of the occasion, people continued to visit the attack site and offer flowers at the charred location.
President Putin accused Ukraine of assisting the suspects in escaping before their capture. However, Ukraine vehemently denied these allegations and suggested that they were an attempt to divert attention from Putin’s own security failures and to gain support for his military campaign.
The heightened emotions surrounding this event were evident among Russian officials. A prominent Kremlin propagandist expressed approval of signs of torture, while others called for the severest penalties for the perpetrators, with some even suggesting the reinstatement of the death penalty.
Margarita Simonyan, the head of Russian state broadcaster RT, shocked herself by expressing satisfaction at the condition of the suspects as they were brought to court and even implied support for their mistreatment.
Dmitry Medvedev, the former president and deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, urged the execution not only of the perpetrators but also of everyone involved in facilitating the attack in a post on Telegram.
Almost a day after the attack, Putin addressed the nation and made it clear that there would be no leniency for those responsible, whom he referred to as “terrorists,” “murderers,” and “non-humans without a nationality.” He stated that they would face retribution and oblivion.
When asked about the signs of violence shown on the suspects’ faces during their court appearance and the circulation of videos depicting torture online, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment.
On Monday, the Russian defense ministry announced that border servicemen who helped arrest the suspects near the borders of Ukraine and Belarus in the Bryansk region were honored with state awards for their bravery.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com