23:31, 23 January 2019

AI treats case of activist Anastasia Shevchenko as "a dangerous precedent"

Anastasia Shevchenko. Photo by Ella Vasilenko RFE/RL

For the first time, Russian authorities have made use of the repressive law on "undesirable organizations" to prosecute the Rostov activist, Anastasia Shevchenko, the Amnesty International (AI) has stated. She faces up to six years in prison.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 21, Anastasia Shevchenko, the coordinator of the movement "Open Russia", was detained after a search of her apartment.

"In recent years, Russian authorities have been pursuing the policy of strangling and criminally prosecuting the dissent. The 'Open Russia' movement has become a new victim to this campaign," said Marie Strazers, the AI's director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

According to her story, this practice may have far-reaching consequences for the right to the freedom of self-expression in Russia.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 23, 2019 at 03:37 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.