Here’s the extracted, translated content:
According to Russian media, the trial against nineteen people suspected of the attack on the concert hall in Moscow in March 2024 begins today. 149 people were killed and more than 600 injured. The suspects are unlikely to receive a fair trial.
Among the nineteen suspects are both the main suspects of the attack and people who are complicit. Four of them are the suspected shooters, who have also been charged with terrorism. The attack was previously claimed by the terrorist group Islamic State (IS). It is likely that a branch of IS, ISIS-K, is behind the attack.
The four main suspects, who were arrested shortly after the attack, appeared heavily battered before the judge last year. One of the images showed one of them appearing to lose consciousness. He was also missing an eye. All four had injuries and swelling on their faces.
To what extent can the suspects expect a fair trial? Experts tell NU.nl: No. “The Russian legal system is completely politicized,” says Professor Hans van Koningsbrugge. In other words, the government basically decides what happens. “A colleague of mine put it this way: if a judge wants to make a ruling, he or she doesn’t look at the law book first, but at the Kremlin.”
This not only influences the verdict, but also the trajectory that precedes it. According to Van Koningsbrugge, it is “not uncommon” for suspects in this type of process to be tortured to force a confession. “Everything in this process is determined by the state. And the state is sometimes violent.”
This happened on March 22, 2024
During a sold-out concert by the Russian rock band Piknik, four people entered the Crocus City Hall at 10:00 PM. That is a concert hall just outside Moscow.
The shooters opened fire on concert visitors and staff at the entrance and later on the people in the hall. They also set fire to the chairs and curtains, after which the fire spread through the building into a large fire. 149 people were killed and more than 600 injured.
Torture of suspects not uncommon
The administration of justice in Russia has become increasingly unfair over the past ten years, adds Russia expert Hubert Smeets. Especially when it comes to processes with a political or commercial interest for the government and for President Vladimir Putin. “I’m not saying that everything is unfair. But especially in these cases, the verdicts are often prescribed by the Kremlin.”
In this case, the image surrounding the process is also important for Russia. The attack took place last year in the middle of the war. Also in Moscow, “the showcase of the Empire,” according to Van Koningsbrugge. The impact was very great at the time for “all sorts of reasons,” Smeets also says. In particular, the scale: the attack took place in a large complex (according to Smeets comparable to the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam) and there were many deaths and injuries.
In addition, Russian emergency services were remarkably late on the scene after the attack. That raised questions. Smeets: “Only an hour after the first report did the anti-terrorism units appear, and an hour and a half after that first report they went inside. That was strange, because the concert hall was not in a remote location.” In addition, rumors circulated about the poor fire safety of the building.
According to Smeets, it is important for the Russian government to dispel those rumors. The attack was claimed by IS, which would mean that Russia’s counter-terrorism policy is not in order. For Russia, that is one of the reasons to attribute the attack to Ukraine, which happened soon after the attack. And although there is no evidence for this, the Kremlin will continue to maintain that, Smeets suspects.
With such an accusing finger, Putin kills two birds with one stone: he stirs up the hostility towards Ukraine again and weakens the threat of Islamic terrorism on Russian soil. Smeets: “He wants to radiate: everything in Russia is in order and there is no danger lurking, except from the West, which is trying to make life in Russia unsafe.”
The trial against the suspects in the attack in Moscow is taking place partly behind closed doors, the Russian state bureau Tass reported last month. The military court will first begin on Monday by examining evidence.
It is a choice of the government that the trial is being held in a military court, says Van Koningsbrugge. It is an indication that high penalties may be demanded. A military court has more of that possibility than a normal court.
According to Smeets, the military court also offers the possibility of keeping the proceedings secret. “With an ordinary criminal judge, there is minimal publicity. For example, journalists are allowed to attend the indictment. In a military court, authorities have many more opportunities to close the doors.”
Formally, Russia will give as a reason that it concerns national security. But in reality, the government can more easily keep statements from the secret service secret in this way, says Smeets. “Now the authorities don’t have to explain that.” It is not yet clear which part of the case will take place behind closed doors and which part will be public. Smeets: “That can change every day.”