Russian election expert Kynev had his leg broken while pressured to confess to treason, colleague says

Russian political scientist Alexander Kynev, arrested on drug charges, suffered serious injuries during his detention, including a leg broken in two places, according to new details shared by fellow political scientist Yekaterina Schulmann on the September 29 episode of her show "Status."

Schulmann said Kynev's leg was indeed broken in two places while he was being detained, confirming this as true. She added that his injury, combined with the use of electrical devices, was used in an attempt to coerce him into confessing to treason, but he did not confess. Schulmann said this information had already become public knowledge, including internationally, though she did not explain how she had learned of it.

Kynev's lawyer, Mikhail Biryukov, told the outlet Ekho that the defense has no documents confirming what Schulmann described.

Background on the case

Kynev is regarded as one of the most respected experts on Russian regional politics and elections. On September 25, it emerged that a court had ordered him held in custody on charges of producing and selling large quantities of drugs.

The outlet Slovo Zashchite reported that Kynev was badly beaten during his detention. Doctors subsequently diagnosed two fractures in a lower leg bone, and he was hospitalized at the medical unit of the Matrosskaya Tishina pretrial detention center. Biryukov later confirmed the hospitalization following the beating and said that materials concerning the unidentified individuals who injured Kynev during his detention have now been separated into a distinct proceeding.