The court approved the decision of St. Petersburg State University, which expelled a local activist from the journalism department

In St. Petersburg, the Third Cassation Court of General Jurisdiction rejected the defense’s complaint against the decision of St. Petersburg State University, which expelled activist and former participant in the “Team 29” project Elena Skvortsova. The First Department project writes about this.

“Unfortunately, judge Zlata Yuryevna Ptokhova ignored the arguments of lawyers and jurists, did not pay attention to violations in the actions of university employees and refused to satisfy our demands,” human rights activists report.

The First Department report notes that the university representative was unable to respond to the defense’s arguments: “He simply stated that St. Petersburg State University’s decision to expel was legal and justified, but did not support his arguments with anything.” The First Department added that they intend to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.

Skvortsova was expelled from the journalism department of St. Petersburg State University in February 2021 - she allegedly failed to complete an internship, the results of which the management refused to count. In the “First Department” they emphasized that the girl completed an internship and even exceeded the norm by writing several large journalistic materials.

Skvortsova’s expulsion is associated with her activist activities: she previously participated in the “Spring” movement and held pickets in support of mathematician Azat Miftakhov, who was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison in the case of a broken window in the United Russia office.

• In November 2021, the Ministry of Justice included Skvortsova and four other former Team 29 employees in the register of “foreign agents.”