Journalist Charged Again, Alleges Electric Torture
Alexei Seregin, a journalist from Mari El, was charged with a second criminal case over a social media post that lacked foreign agent labeling, and he alleged he was tortured with electric shocks during detention. He was previously detained for a comment praising former Chechen leader Dudaev, which authorities claim amounted to public justification of terrorism.
Consensus
- Alexei Seregin, a journalist from Yoshkar-Ola in Mari El, is in pre-trial detention.
- A second criminal case was opened against Seregin under Article 330.1 of the Russian Criminal Code for repeated failure to fulfill obligations of a foreign agent.
- The new case stems from a social media post that remained unmarked as a foreign agent for several minutes.
- Sergegin alleged he was subjected to electric shocks during his detention on June 4, 2026, to force him to unlock his phone.
- On July 14, Seregin was fined 2,000 rubles for alleged resistance to police under Article 19.3 of the Russian Code of Administrative Offenses.
- Sergegin claims he was attacked without warning by masked individuals at a bus stop, resulting in a head injury and a broken eyebrow.
- Sergegin's case involves a 2024 comment in a Telegram chat praising Dzhokhar Dudayev, which authorities say justified illegal armed groups in Chechnya during the 1990s.
- Sergegin is scheduled to be transferred to Moscow on August 15 for psychiatric evaluation at the National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology named after V.P. Serbsky.
- The initial charge against Seregin is under Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Russian Criminal Code — public justification of terrorism.
Points of divergence
- The transfer is planned for August 15 to the National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcolgy named after V.P. Serbsky. — tg_idelrealii
- The transfer is planned for August 15 for psychiatric evaluation at Serbsky Institute. — tg_horizontal_russia
Coverage (2 sources)
- Against arrested journalist from Mari El Alexey Seregina second criminal case initiated. He told about torture by electric current... — Idel.Реалии
- Against arrested journalist from Mari El, second criminal case filed, he told about electric torture — 7х7 — Горизонтальная Россия