The persecution of the “Left Front” coordinator in Mari El has been stopped

The criminal case on justifying terrorism initiated against Andrey Svistunov, a trade union activist and coordinator of the Left Front unit in Mari El, has been closed. According to the 7x7 Internet Journal, this was reported to Svistunov orally on May 7 at the regional Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee, but he was unable to obtain a written decision.

Svistunov was arrested in November 2012 on suspicion of justifying terrorism using the media and inciting hatred and enmity (under the second part of Article 205.2 and Article 282 of the Criminal Code). The grounds for initiating a criminal case were documentaries about foreign radical leftist and terrorist organizations — the German Red Army Faction, the Italian Red Brigades, the Brazilian Red Phalanx and others — that were exposed on the VKontakte social network. Previously, these films were shown freely by the REN-TV and NTV channels. According to investigators, the messages posted by Svistunov on the social network from August to October 2012 justify terrorism, and also "express dissatisfaction with the existing order of government and justify the violent method of changing it."

Svistunov pleaded not guilty. In February 2013, the Human Rights Center “Memorial” recognized the persecution as politically motivated, linking it to the activist’s social activities, as well as pointing out procedural violations, participation in the case of the republican center for combating extremism, as well as the lack of evidence that the publications could lead to an increase in the threat of terrorism or mass unrest in the republic.

In 2013, the investigation of the case was terminated due to the lack of corpus delicti, however, in early 2014, the prosecutor's office of the republic canceled the decision to terminate the case under Article 205.2 and initiated the resumption of the investigation. In addition, as reported the SOVA center , the prosecutor's office saw in Svistunov's statements signs of calls for extremist activity (Article 280 of the Criminal Code). At the same time, according to the information of the 7x7 Internet Journal, the FSB conducted a check against the activist under Article 280 of the Criminal Code, but Svistunov’s defense is not aware of any actions on him.