A publicist and sociologist from Nizhny Novgorod, a large city on the Volga River, has been charged under three criminal articles.

UPD: Originally, we stated in the news that Igor Eidman was being prosecuted under the article on “undesirable organisation,” but in fact he is accused of participation in a “terrorist organisation” (Part 2, Article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code). We apologise for the error.

Igor Eidman has been charged under articles on spreading “fakes” about the army (Item “d,” Part 2, Article 207.3 of the Russian Criminal Code), participation in the activity of an “undesirable organisation” (Part 2, Article 284.1), and violating the rules on “foreign agent” labelling (Part 2, Article 330.1). He himself reported this to OVD-Info.

According to the investigation, in 2024, Eidman published posts on his Telegram channel “Eidmannews” and on YouTube about war crimes committed by the Russian army in Bucha, justified and “promoted” the activities of volunteer groups which the Russian authorities have recognised as terrorist organisations—the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and the “Freedom of Russia Legion”—and failed to add the “foreign agent” label to his posts.

Igor Eidman does not live in Russia. He is the head of the Forum of Russian-speaking Europeans, a member of the council of the “Free Russia Forum,” and the author of several books, including “Putin’s New National Idea.” He was declared a “foreign agent” on 1 December 2023.