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A criminal case for drug-related offences has been opened against Izhevsk activist Dmitry Morozov, reports RusNews. According to his partner, Darya Bagina, the authorities claim that during a search substances were found in a cupboard in his room. Bagina said that Morozov faces up to ten years in prison, but she did not specify the article of the Criminal Code in question.
I don’t believe the drugs belonged to Dima. Dima had come there to his parents to help look after his sick grandmother. The search was carried out by FSB officers, and along with the drugs they seized all the electronic devices, Bagina wrote.
Morozov was detained in the evening of 2 October, when he went out to the shop. The next morning, FSB officers brought him back home for a search and took away his computer. The activist’s father, Valery Tsarenko, said that he saw scratches on his son’s face. In addition, Morozov’s hands were swollen—Tsarenko suggested this was because of the handcuffs in which the activist was kept all night. The family learned the reason for the authorities’ claims against Morozov during the search. According to his relatives, the activist was initially accused of links to a banned organisation. News of the drug case came later.
After the search, Morozov was taken away again, and his family and lawyers were not told where he was. Later, Tsarenko recorded a video address. He linked his son’s detention to his activities after the State Duma elections. Morozov was pushing for a protest in Izhevsk, a major city in the Urals, against voting violations: after being refused by the mayor’s office, activists filed a lawsuit, and the court ordered the city administration to review the protest request again.
For over 24 hours, lawyers were not allowed to see Morozov. On the morning of 4 October, Bagina reported that one of the defence lawyers had finally managed to visit the activist.
That same day, Morozov’s supporters attended a Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) rally in Moscow with signs in his support. They demanded the release of the activist. During the demonstration, authorities detained around 60 people.
5 October, 10:20 Before the hearing on pre-trial detention measures for Dmitry Morozov, police took his parents to the station, writes RusNews.
Valery and Elena Tsarenko received a phone call summoning them for questioning at the police department. They planned to go there with a lawyer, but police officers arrived themselves and took them to the station. Morozov’s parents say they were not given a summons. Their son’s hearing is scheduled for 11:00, and they had planned to attend.
11:56 Morozov’s parents were released after questioning, writes RusNews, citing Valery Tsarenko.
The report has been updated following new information regarding Morozov’s parents.