Investigators suspect Valentina Cherevatenko of attempt to avoid law on foreign agents

The criminal case against Valentina Cherevatenko is being investigated by Rostov investigators, who report directly to the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF). This was reported by advocate Ildar Shafiev. According to the resolution on initiation of the criminal case, once the "Union 'Women of Don'" was included in the register of foreign agents, Valentina Cherevatenko created a foundation with the same name in order to avoid enforcement of the law on foreign agents.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 27, the defence of Valentina Cherevatenko, Chair of the "Union 'Women of Don'" and the foundation for civil society development under the same name, received the resolution on institution against the human rights defender of a criminal case of wilful refusal to perform the duties specified by the laws of the Russian Federation on non-commercial organizations performing functions of foreign agents.

According to investigators, in 2013, Valentina Cherevatenko, "with criminal intent", registered the "Women of Don" Foundation and "wilfully" failed to apply for inclusion of it in the register of foreign agents, the "Vedomosti" reports.

Meanwhile, in 2014-2015, the Foundation "received funding in the amount of about 3 million roubles from the German Heinrich Böll Foundation."

Valentina Cherevatenko herself says that the political persecution against her was intensified after the launch of the project "Civil Minsk" for civilian control over the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.