Tolmachov, convicted journalist from Rostov-on-Don, reports his beating at SIZO

The Rostov journalist and publisher Alexander Tolmachov, convicted by the Kuschevskaya District Court of the Krasnodar Territory to 9 years in high-security colony on charges of extortion, said that he was beaten up by the staff of SIZO (pre-trial prison) No. 2 of the city of Armavir. Today, his public defender has filed a complaint to the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia (FSIN).

The journalist was beaten up in the above SIZO on December 2, his public defender Alexandra Izucheeva told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"Now his condition is normal, but nothing is unknown about the consequences. He is not a young man; and he is under arrest for a long time, while the medical care at SIZO is poor," said Izucheeva.

According to Tolmachov, on December 2 a group of SIZO employees broke into his cell. "I was repeatedly hit with my head against the concrete floor. Then, they twisted my hands back and handcuffed me; then, the angry crowd began punching and kicking me. Then, they brought me – in my socks and sport jacket out into the snow-covered territory of the SIZO and drove to the room for inspecting personal belongings, where I spent more than two hours in handcuffs." said Tolmachov, adding that they refused to call an ambulance and notify the supervising prosecutor.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.