September 2024

What We Achieved Thanks to Your Support

Key Highlights

The First Successes of the Campaign in Support of Igor Baryshnikov

In September, Igor Baryshnikov, convicted in a case related to “fake news” about the Russian army, finally underwent surgery that had been postponed for more than six months. The 65-year-old had an adenoma removed, eliminating his need for a catheter. Mid-August, the UN Human Rights Committee had ordered Russian authorities to provide Baryshnikov with urgent medical care and ensure his well-being.

We Collected Useful Materials for the Autumn Draft

A short guide on how to protect oneself during a draft;
A guide by the “Call to Conscience” project explaining why raids are illegal and how to defend oneself;
A guide by the “Conscientious Objectors Movement” on how to avoid forced conscription;

Seeking Defenders in the Krasnodar Region

Kuban (Krasnodar Region, informal) is one of the leaders in the number of cases related to “discrediting” the army — 60 such cases have been brought to court since the beginning of the year. OVD-Info is actively working in the region and seeking more legal help providers. If you know someone who can help, please share our contact form with them.

Express Help

September 2024 Legal Bot and Hotline Activity

1,069 calls handled;
30 hours, 21 minutes, and 34 seconds of phone consultations;
199,981 active users of our Telegram bot;
11,533 views of legal instructions, including a draft-related guide posted on Instagram.

Hotline legal assistance in September:

Provided 40 consultations by phone;
Responded to 91 emails sent to legal@ovdinfo.org;
Reviewed 3 appeal drafts submitted through “Generaptor” — our judicial appeal generator.

Administrative Cases and Assistance in Police Stations

Criminal Cases

In September, OVD-Info legal professionals and attorneys:

Attended 4 police searches in Moscow;
Accompanied clients to 4 interrogations in Moscow;
Took on 4 new criminal cases involving 4 defendants;
Defended a total of 99 defendants in 91 criminal cases across 48 cities.

News and Media

Articles and interviews you might like:

“It feels like the world is trying to pounce on you” — Interview with politician and former political prisoner Andrei Pivovarov. He was the director of «Open Russia», a political organisation claimed “undesirable” in Russia in 2017. In 2022, he was sentenced to 4 years in prison for his work, and he was only released in August 2024 during the prisoner swap. We talked to him after his release.
“It desiccates you, turns you into a stone”. Tatiana Usmanova, the wife of Andrei Pivovarov, on getting married in prison and supporting her husband. We talked to her about what it’s like to love and get married to someone who is imprisoned for their beliefs.
Torture, slashed veins and a year in solitary confinement: in conversation with Ruslan Kostylenkov, a defendant in the “New Greatness” case. Ruslan Kostylenkov, one of the defendants in the so-called “New Greatness” Case, was released a year ago. Ruslan was given the longest sentence and spent five and a half years in prison. We had a conversation with Ruslan about his experiences during those years, discussing why he tried to get into solitary confinement on purpose and how he was offered military service in Ukraine in exchange for a pardon.

Data and Research

“Anti-War Repression Report: May–September 2024”: A summary of key trends in anti-war political persecution, including new criminal cases and prison deaths.