A Novosibirsk citizen was accused of treason – because of the arson of the military enlistment office that did not happen

Ilya Baburin, a resident of Novosibirsk, who was detained in September 2022 on suspicion of trying to set fire to the military enlistment office, FSB investigators brought another charge – attempted treason. This is reported by the human rights project “Solidarity Zone”.

Earlier, Baburin was also accused of involvement in terrorist activities. The unfinished request to set fire to the military enlistment office, which the investigation blames on Baburin, was previously regarded as an attempted terrorist attack.

As stated in the resolution of the FSB investigator, Baburin, “being an opponent of a special military operation” (as the Russian authorities call the war in Ukraine), committed “intentional actions directly aimed at providing other assistance to representatives of a foreign organization in activities directed against the security of the Russian Federation.” . We are talking about the same hypothetical arson of the military enlistment office – “Solidarity Zone” notes, calling this case unprecedented – for the first time, a case of treason was initiated in connection with the (failed) arson of the military enlistment office.

Ilya Baburin refused to deal with the investigation and denies the charges. Earlier, “Solidarity Zone” reported on the pressure and mockery of the suspect: in particular, he was not given a mattress, pillow and blanket in the pre-trial detention center, and was also put in the so-called “psychoisolator” for no reason – this is a special cell with rubber walls, in which prone to self-mutilation of the prisoners, at the same time they were completely undressed and made to sit naked for two days.

• After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there were cases of arson or attempted arson of military enlistment offices and government buildings, as well as railway transport facilities, in dozens of regions. There were no deaths or injuries, and the damage caused was, as a rule, small. However, recently, the investigation and the courts characterize such actions as terrorist attacks – this crime implies punishment in the form of long terms of imprisonment.