Russian political scientist Alexander Kynev, arrested on drug charges and reportedly beaten so badly his leg was broken in two places, faces transfer to another detention center, lawyer says

Political scientist Alexander Kynev, who was arrested in connection with an alleged attempt to sell drugs, was due to be transferred from the Matrosskaya Tishina pretrial detention center to another detention facility on October 14, his lawyer Mikhail Biryukov said.

“We don’t know why he is being transferred, on what grounds, or where he will be held,” Biryukov said.

Kynev is one of the most respected experts on Russian regional politics and elections. Russian authorities have designated him a “foreign agent.”

Kynev was arrested on September 25. Human rights advocates from Slovo Zashchity said he was severely beaten during his arrest. The advocates said he was diagnosed with two fractures in his shinbone. He was admitted to Matrosskaya Tishina’s hospital.

According to political scientist Ekaterina Schulmann, Kynev’s leg was broken to force him to confess to treason. She did not specify where she got this information. Kynev’s defense team said it had “no documents confirming what Schulmann said.”