3 May 2021
Pictured: Karina Moskalenko, lawyer, international jurist, and member of the Moscow Helsinki Group
an extract from ‘Зачистка по всем фронтам‘
Source: Moscow Helsinki Group [original source: Radio Svoboda]
The security forces are coming for lawyers. Ivan Pavlov was arrested on Friday morning. Pavlov is defending Ivan Safronov and Alexey Navalny’s team. Human-rights activists and lawyers have called the actions of the men in uniform “abuse of power.” Opposition politicians who could become dissidents are under increasing pressure. Rosfinmonitoring has added the movement based at Navalny’s headquarters to the extremist list.
Mumin Shakirov discusses this and other topics from the week with lawyer Karina Moskalenko, politician Dmitry Gudkov, and actress and director Yuliya Aug.
Mumin Shakirov: Karina Moskalenko on the arrest of Ivan Pavlov.
Karina Moskalenko: It took a while for them to get Ivan. Their despicable scheme was all planned, and I mean that in earnest. Let me emphasize that they did it on the final workday before a great Russian miracle of sorts: 10 days off. It’s not uncommon for people they need to get rid of to be arrested on Fridays. But a Friday before 10 days off – that’s too extreme to be a coincidence. They planned it very well. The searches not only of Ivan’s home and office but also of those of other members of Team 29 are very significant. Many people don’t understand; even lawyers have been writing to me, saying, “What are you worried about? No one goes to jail for Article 310.” Article 310 of the Russian Criminal Code, “Disclosing pre-trial investigation data,” is just a pretext for those who are seeking revenge against Ivan, a pretext for the searches. And the searches will enable them to find some scrap that will allow them to institute criminal proceedings against Ivan. I’m familiar with Ivan Pavlov’s high level of professionalism, and I can say with certainty that they likely won’t find anything; but nothing can stop them from falsifying some evidence. They’ve made their firm decision: they’re going to use these 10 days well. Hands off our lawyers! I’m sorry for using slogans, but they’re more than just empty words to me. Hands off our lawyers! Hands off our human rights! The Russian Constitution still exists, and no one is allowed to defy it! Chapters two and one of the Constitution were left unchanged, and that shows that what’s happening now is an unacceptable abuse of power. Today we’re declaring war on this abuse of power. And not a day will go by when we don’t fight. [Read more in Russian]
Translated by Nina dePalma
