According to #Eva_Merkacheva, a member of #Russia's Presidential Council for Human Rights, #Kotelnikov died after spending time in the punishment cell, allegedly due to blood clot detachment #Merkacheva called this a standard cause of death for the #Russian Federal Penitentiary Service system.

According to the media, #FSB officers repeatedly came to him in the detention centre and demanded that he testify against #Ivanov. Due to his refusal, "pressure was applied" -