Russia activist Ildar Dadin accuses prison of torture

Russian officials are investigating claims that a well-known opposition activist has been repeatedly beaten and threatened in prison. Ildar Dadin is serving two and a half years for a series of street protests. He told his lawyer that he had been strung up by his handcuffed wrists, had his head shoved down a toilet and been threatened with rape and death.

Russia’s prison service says the claims are untrue but will investigate if the activist complains formally.

Unusually, the allegations made the headlines on state-controlled television on Tuesday after Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the case merited “the closest attention” and that President Vladimir Putin would be informed.

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