Russian Anti-War Activist Demidenko 'Committed Suicide,' Prison Officials Say

Russian anti-war activist Aleksandr Demidenko, whose death in custody last week was announced to his family by his lawyer on April 8, committed suicide while in pretrial detention, Russia's Federal Penitentiary Service told the Bel.Ru Telegram channel. The Russian media website IStories said Demidenko's family had yet to see his body. The 61-year-old activist, who openly protested Russia's invasion of Ukraine and helped hundreds of Ukrainian refugees in the Belgorod region to return to Ukraine, was arrested in October 2023. He was initially sentenced to 10 days in jail for drinking alcohol in public. Police later charged him with illegal weapon possession. To read the original story by Current Time, click here.