Switch Language

Searches were carried out at the homes of human rights defenders Alexey Sokolov and Larisa Zakharova, who advocate for the rights of prisoners, as well as lawyer Roman Kachanov. This was reported by the Telegram channel “UralLive,” which is associated with propagandist Vladimir Solovyov.

The channel published a video in which law enforcement officers inform Kachanov that he is accused under the article for organising the activities of an “undesirable organisation” (Part 3 of Article 284.1 of the Criminal Code). “UralLive” claims that the case is related to grants from the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the National Endowment for Democracy, which have been declared “undesirable” in Russia.

“The defendants systematically shaped and spread a distorted image of what is happening in Russian penal colonies, receiving money for this from Western handlers,” the channel writes.

Sokolov was taken to the Investigative Committee for questioning without legal representation, his lawyer told Mediazona.

The complaint against the human rights defenders was filed by Ekaterina Saprykina, head of the headquarters of the pro-government group “Volunteer Company of the Combat Brotherhood.” She accused them of “working for the enemy” and appealed to the Investigative Committee with a request to check them under the article by which the case was eventually initiated.

9:33 Saprykina claims that the case was initiated not only against Kachanov, but also Zakharova and Sokolov.

17 December The Leninsky District Court of Yekaterinburg (a major city in the Urals) placed Larisa Zakharova, who is a defendant in the case, in pre-trial detention, reports Mediazona.

The hearing was held behind closed doors, so it is still unclear exactly which organisation the human rights defenders are accused of being involved with. A decision on the preventive measure for Alexey Sokolov will be made tomorrow.

Zakharova and Sokolov have for many years publicised cases of violence against prisoners in penal colonies in Sverdlovsk Region and helped victims defend their rights.

18 December The Verkh-Isetsky District Court of Yekaterinburg sent Ural human rights defender Alexey Sokolov to a pre-trial detention centre on charges of high treason (Article 275 of the Criminal Code). This was reported by Mediazona, citing a correspondent present in the courtroom.

The hearing was closed to the public. He is also accused of distributing information about torture and human rights violations in the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) system “including to foreign organisations.”

The headline has been updated following new information.

  • Earlier, a case was opened against Sokolov for repeated demonstration of banned symbols (Part 1, Article 282.4 of the Criminal Code) over the Facebook logo—the reason being posts on the “Ural Human Rights Defenders” Telegram channel, which included links to the social network. For about six months, the human rights defender was held in a pre-trial detention centre but was later released from custody. His case is currently being considered by the court.