REGIME OF TERROR
I was tortured by Putin’s thugs – genital electrocution is the norm…brutality is systemic, says Brit ex-PoW Aiden Aslin
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A FORMER British prisoner of war captured by Russian forces has revealed the brutality of Vladimir Putin's thugs.
Ex-Ukrainian marine Aiden Aslin, 30, said that grim torture methods like those used on the Moscow terror suspects are systematic and "standard treatment" for people in Russian captivity.
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Speaking in response to the barbaric torture of the Moscow terror suspects, the former Russian captive revealed how such grim practices are routine measures for Putin's brutal cronies.
Aiden wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "Many would assume Russia is merely making an example out of these openly tortured terrorists, but the truth runs far deeper.
"This isn't an isolated incident of retribution; it's the standard treatment for anyone held in Russian captivity.
"Russia's methods extend to all prisoners, irrespective of their actions, highlighting a darker message behind it for those that know about it."
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Horrifying footage showed Russian forces torturing the ISIS terror suspects arrested after Friday's attack, which killed 139 people.
The four men accused of carrying out the heinous Crocus City Hall massacre have repeatedly been filmed being hit, smacked, electrocuted and even force-fed an ear by Russian soldiers.
One of the captured suspects Shamsuddin Fariddun is shown in a deeply disturbing photograph on a gym floor with his trousers pulled down and wires seemingly attached to his groin area.
The wires appear to be from a TA-57 military field telephone capable of discharges of up to 80 volts.
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His mouth is visibly foaming and he appears to be clenching his teeth.
The barbaric torture followed another incident when one of the suspect’s ears was cut off on camera with a knife when he was detained in the Bryansk region on Sunday.
Aiden, who was held by the Russian military for over five months, said Russia is not setting examples for the world by carrying out such dark torture.
It is standard practice when Putin's soldiers get their hands on a suspect, he claimed.
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Aiden was captured by the Russians in April 2022, while fighting as a Ukrainian Marine in Mariupol.
His battalion was cornered after they ran out of food and ammo at the bloody siege and were forced to surrender.
He was sentenced to death two months later and became the face of propaganda footage used by Russian-backed forces.
Aslin's defence team later filed an appeal, requesting the dismissal of the verdict due to lack of evidence of a crime.
While some may draw parallels to America's treatment of terror suspects in Guantanamo Bay, the comparison [with Russian prison] falls short
Aiden Aslin
He was only released in September 2022, in a shock last-minute prison deal brokered with Saudi Arabia.
In his first interview since being freed, a brave Aslin told The Sun on Sunday how he was beaten up, stabbed and forced to listen to Soviet songs in a tiny cell for 24 hours a day.
He revealed that he was starved of sunlight and only allowed out to film propaganda videos and take calls with the Foreign Office.
His captors played the Russian national anthem on a loop and ordered him to stand and sing it or be beaten again.
When they flipped open the grill of his cell, he was ordered to yell: “Glory to Russia.”
Aiden went on trial for being a mercenary and used the opportunity to communicate with his family — rubbing his nose when lying.
Amid global outcry, he was sentenced to death and told he would be shot dead by a firing squad.
The former marine has now said the treatment given at Russian prisons is far worse than that of Guantanamo Bay in the US, which has long been infamous for its cruel torture techniques.
"Behind closed doors, soldiers and civilians alike endure this brutality as part of a systematic approach to torture," he said.
"While some may draw parallels to America's treatment of terror suspects in Guantanamo Bay, the comparison falls short."
Aiden is now back on the frontline after escaping the chilling Russian death sentence.
Torture in Russian prisons
THERE have been numerous allegations and criticisms against Putin's administration regarding torture in Russian prisons. These include:
Use of Torture Tactics: Reports have suggested the use of torture tactics such as beatings, electric shocks, suffocation, and psychological abuse against prisoners.
Denial of Due Process: Critics argue that prisoners are often denied basic legal rights and due process, leading to an environment where torture can occur with impunity.
Lack of Accountability: There is criticism over the lack of accountability for those responsible for torture, with accusations that authorities often turn a blind eye to such abuses.
Violation of Human Rights: Torture is a clear violation of human rights, and the Russian government has faced condemnation from international human rights organisations for failing to prevent and address these abuses.
Political Motivations: Some critics argue that torture is used as a tool to suppress dissent and intimidate political opponents, leading to a climate of fear and repression.
A terrifying gang of ISIS gunmen killed 139 people at a concert on Friday night in the deadliest attack inside Russia for two decades.
It also left 182 injured as Russian officials undertook intense interrogation protocols on the men accused of the barbaric acts.
Vladimir Putin declared Sunday a national day of mourning after vowing to punish all those behind the attack.
Four men accused of opening fire on crowds were forced into a courtroom on Sunday bloodied and bruised.
Images from a Moscow district court showed one of the suspects sitting in the defendant's cage with a bandage over his severed ear.
Courtroom pictures published by Russian media also showed another suspect brought in in a wheelchair apparently missing an eye.
Another had a black eye and a ripped plastic bag around his neck, and a fourth suspect with a swollen face seemed disoriented and struggling to keep his eyes open.
Moscow's Basmanny district court on Sunday charged four suspects with acts of terrorism in connection with the attack, naming them as Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, Shamsidin Fariduni, and Muhammadsobir Fayzov.
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It said the men, identified by Russian media as all being citizens of the ex-Soviet republic of Tajikistan living in Russia, would be remanded in pre-trial custody until May 22.
So far 11 people have been detained, including the four suspected gunmen, who fled the concert hall and made their way to the Bryansk region, about 340 km southwest of Moscow.
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