One reason lies in Russian law, which makes the judge, not the prosecutor, ultimately responsible for ensuring that all of the evidence comes out. Appellate courts then review trial transcripts submitted by judges who reportedly doctor them to conceal procedural violations. Judicial disregard of due process isn't the only problem. His findings reflect those of the international activist group Human Rights Watch. Its book-length report published last year called Confessions at Any Cost concluded that police torture in Russia is rampant.
Police even use the same terms around the country.
An 'elephant' is when the accused has to put on a gas mask and breathe tear gas. A 'crucifixion' is when he is cuffed to a metal bed with electrical current coursing through it. In this star-chamber legal system, virtually everyone is convicted. That means the documents are filtered by a secretary, who knows that acquittals generally need to be overturned and convictions do not. Legal expertise is also in short supply on the Russian bench.