In Kaluga region, an independent candidate for the local council was jailed for 10 days on the eve of the elections.

The magistrate of judicial district No. 35 in the Maloyaroslavets district of Kaluga region has sentenced libertarian and independent municipal council candidate Varvara Kosheleva to ten days in detention, reports RusNews.

Because Kosheleva is a candidate for council, the court could not impose an administrative penalty without the consent of the prosecutor, the publication notes. It is unclear whether such consent was given.

The court found the activist guilty of assault (Art. 6.1.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences), even though she had initially filed the report of being attacked herself.

On 3 September, Kosheleva tried to issue a power of attorney through a notary for her campaign’s financial representative. According to the activist, the notary made mistakes in the paperwork and refused to correct them, after which she began insulting Kosheleva and hit her. The council candidate contacted the police, but the notary also filed a report, claiming she was attacked.

In court, the notary showed a scratch on her arm as proof of her version of the assault by Kosheleva. The hearing also included video footage showing the notary launching herself at the activist and trying to snatch her phone. Kosheleva says the notary struck her in the face at that point.

The activist believes the charges are fabricated and has described what is happening as an attempt to disrupt her campaign. The administrative case was heard on the eve of the region’s first of three voting days.

14 September The notary involved in the conflict with Kosheleva filed a police report against the activist on 10 September, after undergoing a medical examination on 5 September. Kosheleva’s campaign headquarters colleague told OVD-Info about this.

• This spring, Kosheleva was one of the organisers of the “Where is Seda?” campaign. Activists were collecting signatures on a petition to the authorities demanding an investigation into the disappearance of Seda Suleymanova, who fled Chechnya to escape domestic violence but was then forcibly returned to the republic. A few days after the petition drive ended, Kosheleva reported that unidentified people tried to break into her flat at night.