South Federal District

April 23, 2025 23:50

• Rostov resident Elena Popova recognized as political prisoner

  Human rights defenders have announced Elena Popova, a resident of the Rostov Region, sentenced to 12 years for transferring money to journalist Arkady Babchenko*, to be a political prisoner.

April 22, 2025 19:45

• Defendants in two resonant cases in Rostov Region decide to go to SMO

  Three of the defendants in the case on the shootout between Chechen farmers in the Chernozubov farm yard have already left for the special military operation (SMO), and Anastasia Potorochina, a former psychiatrist of the Rostov tuberculosis hospital of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service (known as FSIN) wrote a letter asking for permission to conclude a military contract.

April 21, 2025 21:56

• Bailo's relatives state protraction of inquiry into cause of his death

  A month after the death of Valery Bailo, a Jehovah's Witness*, at the SIZO (pre-trial prison), his body is in the morgue; its examination is not over; and the advocates and relatives have received not a single official response. Problems in investigating deaths in custody have become systemic, human rights defenders have indicated.

April 19, 2025 23:17

• Vitaly Zhuravlyov’s new case sent to court

  Vitaly Zhuravlyov, a resident of Akhtubinsk, has been charged with two episodes of repeated discrediting of the Russian Armed Forces for his comments posted on a social network.

April 19, 2025 21:44

• Believer from Astrakhan returned to penal colony unit after 20 days in punishment cell

  Anna Safronova, a Jehovah’s Witness* from Astrakhan, who complained about cruel treatment in a penal colony in Stavropol, has been released from a punishment cell. The administration of the penal colonies often uses placement to punishment cell specifically in relation to prisoners who are believers.

April 18, 2025 23:16

• Lawyer names criteria for prosecuting Astrakhan teens under sabotage article

  Schoolboys from the Astrakhan Region have pleaded guilty to committing a sabotage act. In order to prosecute them under this article, investigators must prove that the aim thereof was to undermine the country’s economic security, a lawyer has emphasized.

April 18, 2025 21:59

• Makhachkala resident Olga Petrova recognized as political prisoner

  Human rights defenders recognized Olga Petrova, a resident of Makhachkala, as a political prisoner. The woman was convicted in a case on financing terrorism despite arguments stating that she was not guilty.

April 15, 2025 22:13

• Pre-planned nature is distinctive feature of attack on journalist Khoroshilov

  The actions of the man who attacked Igor Khoroshilov, a Rostov journalist, were prepared in advance, which excludes any spontaneous conflict. At the same time, the absence of direct proofs of links of the attack with Igor’s professional activities will allow law enforcers to treat the incident as a domestic conflict, lawyers have pointed out.

April 14, 2025 22:16

• Rostov journalist reports attack

  Igor Khoroshilov, a journalist, was attacked in Rostov-on-Don. According to his story, the attacker was wearing a mask, sprayed him with a can and hit him several times.

April 08, 2025 23:17

• In Sochi, victim of violence outraged, as accused man sent to SMO

  Ksenia Dushanova lost her eye after being beaten by her former common-law husband and underwent several surgeries. The man was detained on the charge of attempted murder, but investigators let him sign a military contract with the Russian Ministry of Defence and go to the special military operation zone.

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