18 July 2020
Hi! It’s Elya Pakhomova, Team 29 Head of Media and Press Secretary.
The main news this week: charges were brought against the journalist Ivan Safronov. Days later came the hearing of an appeal against his arrest, submitted by Team 29 lawyers Ivan Pavlov and Yevgeny Smirnov. Yevgeny Smirnov provides a vivid description of just how absurd the trial was.
Meanwhile, a number of people spoke out this week in support of Ivan Safronov:
Musician Yury Shevchuk, author Viktor Shenderovich, politician Boris Vishnevsky, director Mikhail Mestetsky, 7X7 magazine Deputy Chief Editor Maksim Polyakov, and other thought leaders. You can find their video addresses in the ‘Free Safronov’ groups on social media.
This week, Team 29 also published a short video on Ivan’s case. Aside from that, as the government didn’t approve the rally against amendments to the Constitution that was supposed to take place in Moscow and St. Petersburg on 15 July, we updated our checklist on how to hold a rally on your own.
Also this week, a court found the seizure of the car of St Petersburg researcher into World War II remains, Anton Kolomitsyn, to be legal. Meanwhile, the academic Viktor Kudryavets underwent a medical examination, at the behest of the investigator, which confirmed that Viktor Viktorovich’s state of health was very poor. He can’t take part in the work of the investigation – even at home with a doctor present.
We are continuing to collect signatures in support of another academic, who stands accused under the same article of the Criminal Code as Viktor Kudryavtsev: 79-year-old professor Valery Mit’ko. Right now, Valery Bronislavovich is under house arrest without the right to go for a walk or meet his own family. His health is also worsening. We are counting on your support.
Take care!
Elya
Translated by Lindsay Munford
