Arthur Panov accused of plotting terror act in Rostov-on-Don resumes his hunger strike

At the trial in the case on plotting a terror act in Rostov-on-Don considered by the North-Caucasian District Military Court, Arthur Panov has announced that he is resuming his hunger strike interrupted on February 18. Meanwhile, the defendant has demanded to extradite him to Ukraine. Besides, Arthur Panov has also claimed the distortions in the documents that formed the basis of the charge filed against Maxim Smyshlyaev, the second defendant in the case.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Arthur Panov, a 19-year-old resident of the city of Krasnodon of the Lugansk District of Ukraine, is accused of plotting a terror act and Maxim Smyshlyaev, a 34-year-old resident of Rostov, is accused of aiding and abetting Arthur Panov. The Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" recognized Maxim Smyshlyaev as a political prisoner.

The defendant has confirmed his earlier testimony. He has also noted that Maxim Smyshlyaev had not been assisted him in manufacturing of an improvised explosive device (IED).

According to the protocol, Maxim Smyshlyaev was interested in money promised him by Arthur Panov for the terror act and the opportunity to leave Russia after the terror act to avoid punishment.

Arthur Panov himself has stated that on April 14, 2016, no interrogation actually took place. The text of the protocol was represented by a questioning, carried out earlier by staff members of the Centre to Combat Extremism (CCE), with inserts and distortions added to it. According to Arthur Panov, he was only to sign it, without actual reading of the document.

Besides, Arthur Panov has also announced the pressure on him at the SIZO (pre-trial prison). According to him, when he had attacks of kidney pain, he got injections of an unidentified medicine, after which he felt unwell. And it was at that time when law enforcers wanted to interrogate him.

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