Nearly half of Russians believe that in "exceptional cases," torture can be used on suspects, such as those suspected of committing serious violent crimes, according to the results of a survey by the Russian Levada Center.
Over the past five years, this figure has increased by 19%, with less than a third of respondents being tolerant of torture in 2019.
Only 35% of those surveyed are categorically against the use of torture. Since 2019, this figure has almost halved from 59%. The rest of the respondents were undecided.
Partly, sociologists attribute these results to the aftermath of the terrorist attack at the Moscow concert hall Crocus City Hall, which, in their opinion, shocked the majority of Russian society.
On March 22, several armed individuals with automatic weapons stormed the concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow and began shooting at the audience. Later, the attackers set fire to the hall, causing a fire, and the building's roof collapsed. According to official data, the terrorist attack claimed the lives of 144 people, with 551 individuals injured. As of today, all the perpetrators and a number of accomplices, most of whom are citizens of Tajikistan, have been arrested, according to Russian investigative authorities.
Four of the accused suffered violence and, presumably, torture during and immediately after their arrest. One of them had part of his ear cut off, while another was likely subjected to electric shock - corresponding photographs were published by pro-government Telegram channels.
Among Russians aged 25-39, 57% (combining "when it can save lives" and "only for those who have committed serious violent crimes") more often mention that torture is permissible in certain situations. This viewpoint is also prevalent among those who believe that things are heading in the right direction (50%) and those who trust social media as a source of information (56%). Both men and women hold these perspectives equally (at 48%), although women slightly more often express the opinion of the categorical inadmissibility of torture (36% compared to 32%).
Respondents older than 55 years (41%), those who trust YouTube channels as a source of information (49%), and those who do not approve of Vladimir Putin's activities as president (46%) more frequently speak out against the admissibility of torture under any circumstances.
