AI demands to release activist Andrei Pivovarov

The authorities of Russia must immediately report the whereabout of Andrei Pivovarov, the director of the organization “Open Russia”* and release him. In Russia, the prisoner transportation system violates human rights and needs to be reformed, emphasizes Natalia Zvyagina, the director of the Russian office of the human rights organization “Amnesty International” (AI).

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on July 15, 2022, the court sentenced Andrei Pivovarov to four years of imprisonment, finding him guilty of leading the undesirable organization “Open Russia”*. The convicted activist claims that the criminal prosecution is political in nature. On December 9, 2022, it became known that Andrei Pivovarov was transferred to the Krasnodar detention facility, and on December 30, he was transferred to Volgograd. However, on January 4, the team of Andrei Pivovarov stated that they had no information about their leader’s whereabouts.

Keeping oppositionist Andrei Pivovarov incommunicado for the past month is a crime under international law, states Natalia Zvyagina, the director of the AI’s office in Russia. She emphasized that “the Russian prisoner transportation system brings to mind the practices of the GULAG.”

The “Caucasian Knot” has also reported that starting from July 15, 2022, warders refused to allow advocates visit Salekh Magamadov, claiming that he was not being kept in prison. The advocate did not visit his client until August 11.

*The activities of two organizations registered in the UK and containing the words of “Open Russia” in their names were recognized by the General Prosecutor’s Office of Russia as undesirable in the country.