Two suspects accused of cofounding an extremist group to overthrow the Russian government slit their wrists in a Moscow courtroom on October 17, their lawyer Maksim Pashkov told local media.
After Ruslan Kostylenkov, 25, and Vyacheslav Kryukov, 20, committed the act inside a cage in the courtroom, medics were called in to administer treatment.
Their condition is unknown.
At the hearing, the court refused to release the suspects, who’ve been in pretrial detention since March 2018, from custody.
Their defense has said that an undercover special-services agent provoked the group into establishing the organization and writing a charter.
Altogether 10 people are suspected of forming the group known as Novoye Velichiye (New Greatness).
At the time of their arrest, one suspect, Anna Pavlikova, was not yet 18 years old.
They have all been included on the government’s list of terrorists.
Two suspects have been convicted in the case.
Pavel Rebrovsky received a 2 1/2-year prison sentence and Rustam Rustamov got 2-years probation.
Four suspects are being held in pretrial detention and the remainder are under house arrest.
