Nikolay Murnev

Resident of Essentuki. He was engaged in repairing cars. He communicated in a collective chat room for eight people dedicated to cars and motorbikes, where he also discussed the war and criticised the Russian authorities. On 12 October 2022, his home was searched as a part of a case of preparation for a terrorist attack, while his wife was at home. While one of the officers read the search warrant to her, two others were in the yard. Murnev's wife assumes that this is when the Molotov cocktails were planted in the garage; one of the neighbours later confirmed to her that he had seen a stranger enter the garage. In the safe, to which the law enforcers already had the keys, they found a hunting weapon, for which Murnev had all the permits. After that, the officers moved to the garage, where they took out bottles with incendiary mixture, a metal detector, an empty tube from a grenade launcher, bolts, wires, bottles with antifreeze and industrial alcohol and gloves. After that, they were not interested in other premises. On that day Murnev himself was detained near his work, they dragged him into a car and put a bag over his head. During the interrogation, as he later told his wife, he was kicked and electrocuted, forced to confess to links with the Ukrainian security services and the Azov regiment and to plan arson and attacks on administrative buildings. According to his words, they put various objects in his hands and put duct tape on his fingers, threatening to put pressure on his family (they promised to send his four children to an orphanage and to plant drugs on his wife).

Murnev's wife said that her husband was planted with drugs after the arrest, after which a report on petty hooliganism (part 2 of article 20.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences) was drawn up. The next day, he was arrested for 15 days. In the cell, he tried to squeeze an artery with a spoon, and he was placed in the punishment cell for 10 days. On 19 October 2022, the court sent Murnev to custody on a drug possession case. In the pre-trial detention centre, he was pressurised by inmates cooperating with law enforcers. On 4 May 2023, Murnev was sentenced to three years' suspended sentence. He remained in custody in the case of preparation for a terrorist attack.

Murnev is a witness in the case of his comrade Sergei Dudchenko for possession of weapons, explosives and drugs, as well as the sale of weapons. (Dudchenko, like Murnev, is also accused of preparing for a terrorist attack). According to Murnev's wife, he was beaten several days before the court session on 19 December 2023, where he was to appear as a witness, and immediately on the day of the session, demanding to confirm the testimony against Dudchenko, which he gave at the investigation under torture. Murnev refused to testify in court.

You can read more about politically persecuted people in the Telegram channel OVD-Info LIVE and our database of politically motivated criminal prosecutions.