October 17, 2023

Repression Impacts Lawyers


Repression Impacts Lawyers
Alexei Navalny in court in Moscow, February 20, 2021. Evgeny Feldman, Wikimedia Commons.

Vadim Kobzev, Alexey Liptser, and Igor Sergunin, all of whom have previously defended the opposition politician Alexei Navalny in court, were placed in pre-trial detention. The lawyers have been charged with being part of an "extremist community," a criminal offense that carries a prison sentence of up to six years.

Kobzev was apprehended in Kovrov, where he was expected to attend proceedings related to two of Navalny's claims against the nearby prison where Navalny is serving his sentence. Navalny received news of the arrests during the trial.

"The situation appears reminiscent of Soviet-era repression, with not only political activists facing persecution and imprisonment but also their legal representatives," said Navalny.

The charges against the lawyers stem from letters allegedly sent by Alexei Navalny from his place of detention. This information is derived from case material excerpts published by Ivan Zhdanov, a key figure in Navalny's anti-corruption foundation, FBK.

Authorities assert that Kobzev, Liptser, and Sergunin, by leveraging their legal roles to access Correctional Colony № 6, where Navalny is incarcerated, facilitated the regular transmission of information between FBK and Navalny's associates. This purportedly allowed them to "continue to perform the functions of leaders and facilitators of the extremist community by devising, preparing, facilitating, and engaging in extremist activities."

Perviy Otdel ("The First Department"), a Russian human rights organization, has issued an open appeal to halt the state pressure on lawyers. The statement emphasizes that "defense is not collaboration" and underscores that lawyers are not co-conspirators but rather providers of legal defense, a right enshrined in the Russian Constitution. This appeal has garnered support from over a thousand individuals and organizations.

Tatyana Felgengauer, a Russian journalist, had previously voiced concerns that the authorities in Russia were targeting lawyers. She argued that the authorities' objective is to dismantle the independent legal profession, akin to what transpired in Belarus. From 2020 to 2023, 550 lawyers in Belarus were compelled to cease their legal work due to repression imposed by the Lukashenko regime.

You Might Also Like

Undesirable News
  • June 28, 2023

Undesirable News

The Russian Prosecutor General's has declared Novaya Gazeta Europe "undesirable" due to its independent reporting.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
Steppe / Степь

Steppe / Степь

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
The Little Humpbacked Horse

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955