Latest news with #RussianCriminalCode
Scoop
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Russia Must Release Ill Lawyer Maria Bontsler, Detained In Retaliation For Human Rights Work: UN Special Rapporteur
Geneva, 9 July 2025 The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Mariana Katzarova, today condemned the arrest and ongoing arbitrary detention of Maria Bontsler, a 64-year-old human rights lawyer from Kaliningrad, who suffers from a serious chronic medical condition. 'This is a deeply troubling case of judicial harassment and criminalisation of a lawyer for simply doing her job,' Katzarova said. 'Maria Bontsler's arrest and prosecution are politically motivated and represent yet another example of the continuing attack on the independence of the legal profession in Russia.' Bontsler was arrested on 29 May 2025 – two days before the Day of Russian Advocates on 31 May – and placed in pre-trial detention by the Leningradsky District Court of Kaliningrad. She was charged under article 275.1 of the Russian Criminal Code for alleged 'confidential cooperation with a foreign state, aimed at undermining the national security of the Russian Federation' – a charge carrying up to eight years in prison. For over 30 years, Bontsler chaired the now-dissolved regional Committee of Soldiers' Mothers, defending the legal rights of conscripts. Bontsler is also known for defending clients in politically motivated cases, including Igor Baryshnikov, a prominent political prisoner, who was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for posting 'fake news' about the war in Ukraine. His health has rapidly deteriorated in detention, endangering his life. Just a week before her arrest, on 20 May 2025, the European Union sanctioned 28 Russian officials, including the judge in Baryshnikov's case, where Bontsler served as defence counsel. 'This timing raises serious concerns that Bontsler's arrest may be retaliatory,' the Special Rapporteur said. 'The charges allege she passed security-related information to a foreign State – claims that contradict her legal activities as a defence lawyer and remain unsubstantiated.' Maria Bontsler's hearings are held behind closed doors, and her lawyers are bound by non-disclosure related to state secrets. 'Her family remains in the dark and has not been allowed to visit,' the expert said. Since her detention, Bontsler, who suffers from severe chronic hypertension, has been denied essential medical care. Discharged from hospital the day before her arrest following a hypertensive crisis, she reported dangerously high blood pressure while in custody. Despite her complaints, she has received no treatment and lacks a blood pressure monitor. Her family has also been barred from providing any medication. She has reported being given insufficient food and water, and sustaining bruises during transportation following her arbitrary arrest. 'Denying medical treatment to a seriously ill detainee, alongside poor detention conditions, may constitute inhuman and degrading treatment,' Katzarova said. 'Russian authorities must ensure she receives adequate medical care immediately.' She stressed that article 275.1 of the Criminal Code is 'vague and overly broad,' enabling the criminalisation of legitimate international cooperation and advocacy. 'This repressive law must be repealed,' she said. 'Maria Bontsler must be released immediately, and all charges dropped,' the expert said. 'Her case exemplifies the escalating repression of lawyers and human rights defenders in Russia. Since yesterday, in different regions, law enforcement have undertaken searches and arrests of journalists and human rights defenders. This attack on civil society should end.' The Special Rapporteur has addressed the Government on this case.
New Straits Times
23-06-2025
- New Straits Times
Two killed in bear attack near popular Russian city
YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK: Two people were killed in a bear attack near the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, as investigators launched a probe into possible criminal negligence by wildlife officials, Russian news agency TASS reported. Earlier, the Sakhalin office of Russia's Emergencies Ministry said a bear had attacked a group of people, though the number of victims was still being verified. "On Monday (June 23), near the 'Three Deer' [sculpture], a bear attacked a man, who later died in an ambulance. Later, the body of another man with no signs of life was found nearby," the investigative committee said. A criminal case has been opened under Part 3, Article 293 of the Russian Criminal Code — negligence resulting in the death of two persons — against officials responsible for wildlife control. Investigators are examining the circumstances of the incident and conducting the necessary procedures. The regional Health Ministry told TASS that the second victim's body was found partially buried. No other casualties have been reported. The "Three Deer" sculpture is located on Prospekt Mira Avenue, about 14km from the city centre. The area is near a forest and is popular among tourists, especially newlyweds.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Russia Must Immediately Release Election Monitor Grigory Melkonyants: UN Special Rapporteur
GENEVA (22 May 2025) – The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Mariana Katzarova, today condemned the 12 May 2025 sentencing of Grigory Melkonyants, co-chair of the 'Golos' movement which had been declared 'foreign agent' in Russia. Melkonyants was sentenced to five years in prison by the Basmanny Court of Moscow for his peaceful work defending electoral integrity and human rights in Russia. 'This sentence is a grave miscarriage of justice and a blatant attempt to silence one of Russia's critical voices for electoral transparency. It is yet another example of the severe clampdown on civil society by Russian authorities in the past three years, since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022,' Mariana Katzarova said. 'The charges are politically motivated and based on legally dubious grounds, including misrepresented evidence and disregard for the defendant's rights.' Melkonyants was convicted under article 284.1(3) of the Russian Criminal Code for allegedly organising the activities of an 'undesirable' organisation – the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO). The court also imposed a nine-year ban on his participation in public activities following his prison term. 'Melkonyants' case exemplifies the systematic targeting of civil society actors in Russia who dare to challenge the State's control over the electoral process,' Katzarova said. 'His arrest and conviction violate his rights to freedom of expression, association, and participation in public affairs, as protected under articles 19, 21, and 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.' Melkonyants was arrested in August 2023, just weeks before the start of the presidential campaign that led to Russian President Vladimir Putin's re-election. The prosecution alleged ties between 'Golos' and ENEMO, despite 'Golos' publicly withdrawing membership in 2021 after ENEMO was labelled 'undesirable.' His trial, which began in September 2024, was marred by procedural flaws, including reliance on outdated ENEMO website data linking 'Golos' to a defunct organisation, and disregard for evidence of 'Golos' formally leaving the network. Furthermore, Melkonyants' participation in a roundtable at the Central Election Commission (CEC) – used as evidence against him – was at the official invitation of the CEC chair and in his capacity as an individual expert, not as a representative of any foreign organisation as claimed by the prosecution. 'The prosecution failed to demonstrate that Melkonyants posed any risk to the investigation, yet he was held in pre-trial detention for over a year,' the expert said. The Special Rapporteur expressed grave concern over the broader legal framework for Melkonyants' prosecution, noting that laws on 'foreign agents' and 'undesirable' organisations criminalise international cooperation and civic engagement. She noted that the targeted 'designations' of human rights organisations under these laws, continued. Most recently, on 19 May 2025, the authorities declared Amnesty International 'undesirable' for, as they claimed, 'backing Ukraine against Russia, promoting Russophobic narratives, and financing 'extremists' and 'foreign agents''. 'Melkonyants is being punished not for a crime, but for his steadfast commitment to human rights and safeguarding the principle of free and fair elections in Russia,' Katzarova said. 'For over 20 years, 'Golos' has advanced electoral transparency and reform in Russia,' she said. 'Melkonyants must be released immediately with all charges against him dropped. The repressive laws under which he has been targeted must be repealed.' The Special Rapporteur has earlier addressed the Government on this case.
Saba Yemen
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
FSB Thwarts Series of Attacks on Police Officers
Moscow - (Saba): The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that it had thwarted a series of attacks on police officers in the Stavropol Territory, which were planned for May 9 by a group of minors supporting an international terrorist organization. The Russian news agency TASS quoted the Russian intelligence service as saying in a statement: "Russian Federal Security Service officers, in cooperation with the Investigative Committee and the Ministry of Interior, were able to prevent a series of terrorist crimes in the Stavropol Territory in southern Russia. During the security operation, nine local residents who supported an international terrorist organization were detained." The statement indicated that one of the minors voluntarily joined the organization through social media in 2024 and later recruited eight other residents of the region, seven of whom were minors. According to the statement, "On May 9 of this year, the criminals planned to attack police officers during the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War in one of the municipalities of the Stavropol Territory. However, they were unable to carry out their plans because security forces uncovered their plot and arrested them." They are currently being investigated after being charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 (organizing the activities of a terrorist organization and participating in the activities of such an organization) and Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 (assisting terrorist activity) of the Russian Criminal Code. Russian Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko told TASS that the investigation established that one of the minors joined the ranks of a terrorist organization in 2024. He then "used persuasion to recruit a relative and seven of his peers between the ages of 14 and 16 to join this terrorist organization." Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Yahoo
Murder of Russian general: FSB announces detention of "Ukrainian special services agent"
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has reported that an alleged agent of the Ukrainian special services has been detained on suspicion of murdering Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik, Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. Source: Russian state news agency TASS, citing the FSB Public Relations Centre Quote: "As a result of urgent measures, an agent of the Ukrainian special services, Ihnat Kuzin, born in 1983, who holds a residence permit of Ukraine, has been detained." Details: According to the FSB, Kuzin placed a bomb in a Volkswagen Golf in Balashikha, near Moscow, resulting in Moskalik being killed in the explosion. It is claimed that the Ukrainian agent bought the car and installed an improvised explosive device in it, taking the components for the explosive from a cache the special services had set up in Moscow Oblast. The FSB says the explosive device was remotely activated from Ukraine as Moskalik was leaving the entrance of a residential building. The suspect was brought to the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation as part of a criminal case under Articles 205.2 (terrorist act) and 222.1.1 (illegal possession of explosives or explosive devices) of the Russian Criminal Code. Background: On the morning of 25 April, a car exploded in the town of Balashikha, which borders Moscow, killing Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik of the Russian Defence Ministry. Vazhnye Istorii (Important Stories) notes that the department where Moskalik worked is central to the planning of operations in Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
