Chechen Askhab Uspanov is said to have died in police custody, hours after he was arrested for the terrorist attack on a concert hall in Moscow in March.
This is reported by the renowned and independent Russian burial website Agentstvo, which quotes the man’s mother.
The mother Taisa Uspanova tells the website that her son was arrested on March 22 – the day after the attack in which at least 144 people were killed and 550 injured. She maintains that her son had nothing to do with the attack.
Askhab’s wife is said to have turned up at the police station where he was detained on the same day. When she arrived at the police station, she was told by her mother that the man had died.
The opposition Chechen Telegram channel 1Adat claims that Askhab was tortured while in custody.
STRONG IMPRESSIONS: The four arrested after the terrorist attack in Moscow bear the mark of having been subjected to physical violence and a torture video is being shared on Telegram. Video: AP/Telegram. Reporter: Vegard Krüger / Dagbladet TV. view more
On Monday, the channel published videos of what is supposed to be his body after an autopsy. In the video, it is claimed that he had a fractured skull, broken rib cage and spine, and that the Russian authorities must have staged suicide.
The information has not been verified, and the Russian authorities have not yet commented.
