Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the victim of a poison attack in August, has been sentenced to three years in prison. The Kremlin claims that Navalny violated conditions from a previous criminal case while recovering in Germany. Across Russia (that’s eleven time zones!), tens of thousands are protesting for Nawalny’s release – or against Vladimir…
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The Russian investigative journalist Ivan Golunov fears being transferred from house arrest to pre-trial detention. This is what his lawyer Dmitri Dschulai told the taz. The anti-government reporter is accused of trafficking a “large quantity” of illegal drugs. He faces up to 20 years in prison. Source
In Kaliningrad, 65-year-old Alexandra Koroleva headed the local office of the environmental protection organisation “Ecodefense! Because of financial support from abroad, its members were classified as “foreign agents” by the Russian authorities and increasingly harassed. When she was threatened with criminal proceedings and several years in prison, Koroleva fled to Dresden. Source
In Belarus, the authorities persecute independent lawyers. They are intimidated with administrative fines and hindered in practising their profession. Police investigators have been given carte blanche, the accused and defence lawyers are deprived of almost all rights. What remains is solidarity among colleagues, in Belarus and internationally. A conversation with lawyer Mikhail Kirilyuk, member of…
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Stockholm. Since the beginning of the Corona crisis, the “Swedish way” has increasingly polarised socio-political discourse in Europe. In mid-April, 22 scientists called on the Swedish government to rethink its approach in an open letter to the newspaper “Dagens Nyheter.” “The health authority has failed – now the politicians must intervene,” the researchers demanded. Source
