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The prosecutor has requested a sentence of [hidden] for Petersburg “Yabloko” member and local election commission official Vasily Neustroev, [hidden] for Novosibirsk activist Anna Arkhipova, [hidden] for activist from Tver Yan Ksenzhepolsky, [hidden] for Saint Petersburg activists Yevgeny Zateyev and Valentin Khoroshenin, and [hidden] for Pavel Sinelnikov, an activist from Barnaul, a major city in Siberia. This was reported by [hidden]

The most serious charges were brought against Arkhipova—on seven counts at once:

  • organisation of and participation in an extremist group (Parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.1 of the Criminal Code);
  • participation in the activities of a public association infringing upon citizens' rights (Part 3 of Article 239 of the Criminal Code);
  • incitement to mass disorder (Part 1.1 of Article 212 of the Criminal Code);
  • calls for activities against state security (Part 3 of Article 280.4 of the Criminal Code);
  • spreading so-called “fakes” about the military (Subparagraphs “b” and “d” of Part 2 of Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code);
  • spreading disrespectful information about days of military glory (Part 4 of Article 354.1 of the Criminal Code).

Similar charges were brought against Neustroev and Ksenzhepolsky: instead of participation in a public association infringing upon citizens' rights, they were charged with its creation (Part 2 of Article 239 of the Criminal Code), and were not accused of participation in an extremist group (Part 2 of Article 282.1 of the Criminal Code).

Zateyev and Khoroshenin were accused of creating a public association infringing upon citizens' rights and of an extremist group, as well as of spreading disrespectful information about days of military glory. The first charge was dropped against Khoroshenin due to the statute of limitations. The case against him and Zateyev was initiated back in May 2022, while the other defendants were detained in June 2023.

Sinelnikov was accused of creating and participating in an extremist community.

The prosecution’s case is largely based on posts on the “Vesna” pages on social media. For example, because of calls to join anti-war rallies, they were charged with incitement to disorder. Five out of six defendants do not admit guilt. Khoroshenin admitted guilt and gave testimony against the other activists.

Zateyev retracted his confession in court, calling it self-incrimination. He told the court that he had incriminated himself in hopes of being allowed house arrest, so he could be with his mother and grandmother. Both women died while he was in pre-trial detention.

OVD-Info reported the story of Vasily Neustroev, who was never a member of “Vesna” and had no involvement with the movement’s social media. Nevertheless, law enforcement claim that he was one of the movement’s leaders, that he posted calls to join riots and anti-government activities on its social media, published military “fakes” and insulted the “memory of the Motherland’s defenders.”

You can support the defendants in the “Vesna” case by sending them a letter through our “Vestočka” service.

  • The youth movement “Vesna” was founded in 2013 by activists in Saint Petersburg. Later, activists in other Russian regions joined. Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, “Vesna” has called on Russians to protest against the war and later announced anti-mobilisation actions. In December 2022, at the request of the prosecutor’s office, “Vesna” was declared an extremist organisation.