Russia’s FSB falsified evidence against imprisoned anti-war teenager – Mediazona

Russia’s domestic intelligence agency FSB has falsified evidence against a 15-year-old student who was detained last week on terrorism charges, reports independent news portal Mediazona. reported Thursday, citing case materials.

A Moscow military court ordered Arseniy Turbin has been sentenced to five years in a juvenile detention center for “participating in terrorist activities.” He is accused of attempting to join the Legion of Freedom of Russia, a militia made up of Russian citizens fighting on the side of Ukraine. The Russian Supreme Court has set as a terrorist organization.

Turbin denied the allegations and the Legion of Freedom of Russia said it accept Members who are under 18 years of age.

Russia’s human rights group Memorial accepted Turbin was classified as a political prisoner, making him the youngest activist to receive this distinction.

According to Mediazona, FSB agents claimed that during an interrogation – which was recorded – Turbin admitted that he “planned to join the Legion and sent in a completed questionnaire.”

However, an interrogation transcript published by Mediazona shows that Turbin made no such admission, despite attempts by FSB agents to mislead him.

“I would have joined (the Legion of Freedom of Russia),” Turbin was quoted as saying, adding that he decided not to fill out the questionnaire because he was afraid of giving out personal information to strangers.

“After all, I don’t know these people,” the teenager said during the two-hour interrogation that took place in August 2023.

Turbin was arrested the following month based on case documents provided by the FSB, Mediazona wrote.

The independent news website Novaya Gazeta Europe reported On Wednesday, it was reported that the previous investigator had attempted to drop the case against Turbin, but it had been assigned to another investigator.

Last fall, the Russian financial regulator put Turbin on its list of “terrorists and extremists.”