This Is Torture: International Bodies Intensify Scrutiny of Rights Violations in the Case of Konstantin Rudnev

The case of Konstantin Rudnev, a Russian dissident held in pretrial detention in Argentina since March 2025, is increasingly being described by human rights advocates not merely as a rights violation but as a form of torture. According to his defense, the systematic denial of life-saving medical care for a severe lung disease constitutes a deliberate and prolonged course of conduct that inflicts intense physical suffering and creates a real risk of death.

Rudnev was detained on March 28 at an airport during a domestic flight together with a group of Russian nationals. He is accused of human trafficking, exploitation, and drug-related offenses. His lawyers maintain that the case is built on speculation by Argentine prosecutors Oscar Fernando Arrigo and his aides Tomás Labal, Gustavo Revora, and Rodrigo Treviranus, as well as on sensationalist media materials originating in Russia.

A key element of the case, according to the defense, fundamentally undermines the prosecution’s narrative: the main alleged “victim,” Elena Makarova, has formally withdrawn that status and, in her testimony, refuted the prosecution’s claims. Despite this, Rudnev remains in a high-security detention facility without a court verdict.

Supporters describe Rudnev as a political dissident persecuted for his anti-war stance and criticism of Vladimir Putin’s regime. Complaints regarding the conditions of his detention have been submitted to the United Nations and to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).

Torture Through Denial of Medical Care

According to the defense, Rudnev suffers from progressive pulmonary fibrosis — a condition that, without specialized treatment, inevitably leads to suffocation and death. Over approximately nine months in detention, he has lost more than 50 kilograms (over 110 pounds), regularly experiences acute episodes of respiratory distress, and exhibits alarming neurological symptoms.

Medical assessments by Argentine specialists in October 2025 explicitly called for urgent hospitalization and specialized treatment. However, according to his lawyers, such care is unavailable at the Rawson maximum-security prison. Despite this, authorities have refused to transfer him to a civilian hospital.

Human rights advocates are particularly concerned that Rudnev’s interactions with doctors are conducted through Google Translate. The refusal to provide a professional interpreter, the defense argues, leads to diagnostic errors and improper prescriptions. Combined with the denial of adequate treatment, this effectively renders medical care illusory.

Human rights lawyers emphasize that under international law, torture is not limited to acts of direct violence but also includes deliberate omissions. The systematic denial of essential medical care to a seriously ill person under the complete control of the state may qualify as cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment under Articles 1 and 16 of the UN Convention Against Torture. In submissions to international bodies, the situation is described as “torture through the slow destruction of health.”

The Prosecution’s Position

Prosecutors Oscar Fernando Arrigo, Tomás Labal, Gustavo Revora, and Rodrigo Treviranus deny allegations of ill-treatment. They assert that Rudnev receives “basic” medical care in prison and justify the refusal to transfer him to a hospital on security grounds and alleged flight risk.

Alternative measures — such as house arrest or treatment under guard in a civilian clinic — have not been meaningfully considered, according to the defense. Prosecutors cite the seriousness of the charges, even though the case remains at the investigative stage and no verdict has been issued.

Growing International Pressure

According to defense counsel, all effective domestic remedies in Argentina have been exhausted: appeals have been dismissed or left unanswered. The defense points to Rule 114 of the UN Committee Against Torture’s Rules of Procedure, which allows for urgent interim measures where there is a risk of irreparable harm to life or health.

Complaints submitted to the IACHR and UN mechanisms are currently under review. Lawyers stress that in international practice, the denial of treatment for serious illnesses is increasingly recognized as a form of torture, as it reflects a conscious decision by the state to allow suffering in a situation of total dependency.

The Rudnev case extends beyond an individual tragedy. It raises a fundamental question: can a state, under the guise of security, effectively sentence a person to a slow death before trial?

While international bodies assess the complaints, the defense insists on immediate medical intervention and a change in custodial measures. Prosecutors are pressing for the investigation to continue.

Meanwhile, human rights advocates warn that each day without treatment brings the situation closer to a point where it is no longer about procedural violations, but about torture with potentially fatal consequences.