In Russia, the first case of persecution for using Instagram

According to the Kuntsevsky interdistrict prosecutor, the famous Fashion blogger Veronika Loginova “committed actions to attract users in the social network Facebook and Instagram,” as well as “posted materials, including advertising”, all this can be considered as a form of participation in the activities of an extremist organization.

Photo: Instagram Veronica Loginova

The Fashion-blogger Veronika Loginova turned to the legal support of Roskomskvoboda. In her blogs on YouTube and Instagram , which she began to lead at 15 years old, she talks about fashion, psychology, and creating a business, there has never been any politics there. But everything changed after the Facebook and Instagram-META-META-was recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation, and someone from the supervisory authorities wanted to manifest themselves in the fight against beauty bloggers so dangerous for the state.

As Veronika herself writes :

“Now, for the management of Instagram, I face a prison term of 6 years.

Good morning, you woke up in Russia.
And it’s not customary to talk about this, but I will say.

August 17, I am in Paris, a call from my mother with a trembling voice: "The police came to our house and they are looking for you." At this time, my 14-year-old brother is trying to understand what is happening in general and why two adult men with a statement stand in his corridor.

A statement, in which, as it turned out later, I face a term of 6 years for using Instagram. And with the words that "I'm too standing out."

Seriously? I? 18-year-old girl Fashion blogger? An entrepreneur who pays taxes to his own country? A person who writes posts about the support of a psychological state and has never touched the political agenda on his blog?

Yes. Like this. You live, make beautiful photos, build business, help people, do not touch anyone.

But you live in Russia, and among a million bloggers they go to you. Here without exaggeration - in the entire history of the work of my lawyer there was not a single similar case. "

“Apparently, to be the first, then in everything,” she ironizes, at the same time asking her question about her future. - What will I do? To leave Instagram? Run from Russia? Sue? To understand and illuminate this story here. Fortunately, I have support in the form of people who understand. This is abnormal. This is complete <absurdity>. And I want as many people to learn about this story. I will be grateful to everyone who can support a repost and illuminate the situation. This is really important. In the carousel I am attaching the very letter. And a little of my emotions. "

Veronica also provided us with a copy of the “warnings on the inadmissibility of violation of the law”, which was sent to her by the Kuntsevskaya inter -district prosecutor's office.

The document says that “the supervisory authority conducted a check of compliance with the legislation on countering extremism, during which sufficient and pre -confirmed information about the preparatory loginovs V.V. illegal actions containing signs of extremist activity in the absence of grounds for bringing to criminal liability. ”

The prosecutors recalled that by the decision of the Tver District Court of Moscow, in March of this year, the activities of the American transnational holding company Meta Platforms Inc on the sale of products - social networks Facebook and Instagram in the Russian Federation “In connection with the implementation of extremist activity” were prohibited.

Taking into account the foregoing, they consider in the Kuntsevsky inter -district prosecutor's office,

“... the performance of actions to attract users in the social network Facebook and Instagram, as well as the placement of materials there, including advertising, can be considered as a form of participation in the activities of an extremist organization and a declension to participate in it of an indefinite circle of persons.”

The prosecutors saw in this kind of activity “declension, recruitment or other involvement of a person in the activities of an extremist organization” (part 1.1 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the maximum term is up to 8 years in prison), “participation in the activities of an extremist organization” (part 2 of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, up to 6 years in prison).

In addition, they warned the prosecutor’s office, for violation of the legislation on countering extremism, administrative liability is provided for under Art. 13.37, 20.3 Administrative Code of the Russian Federation.

“It has been established that Loginova V.V., despite the above court decision, after 03.21.2022 continued to place materials on the Instagram social network, which in order to prevent offenses, as well as the prepared unlawful acts containing signs of extremist activity, gives sufficient grounds for sending her a prevention of violation of the law,” the prosecutor’s proceedings said document.

According to the head of the legal practice of Roskomasvoboda, Sarkis Darbinyan , this is the first time of persecution of a citizen of the Russian Federation based on simply using Instagram. “With this approach, everything is under the blow, even who posts cats and sells hand-made,” he said.

The lawyer also notes:

“The resulting warning of the Kuntsevsky prosecutor’s office, of course, is alarming at the blogger who received it, and it applies not only to a specific principal, but also all bloggers from small to large - from little -known fans with a meager number of subscribers, to users and journalists using“ Instrument ”to spread professional content.

Of course, this is not at all what prosecutors promised when recognizing Instagram and Facebook extremist, when the public stated that the end users would not affect this decision. And now it turns out that he will be quite touched. After all, the prosecutor warns that the blogger threatens to recruit 4 to 8 years in prison under Part 1.1. Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code. And for direct participation in the activities of such an organization threatens from 2 to 6 years under Part 2 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code.

That is, according to the logic of the prosecutor, now for any “subscribe to me on Instagram” threatens up to 14 years in prison! ”

“However, in our opinion, the prosecutor exceeded his powers and did not give any specifics, what kind of actions on Instagram will now be interpreted as participation in the activities of an extremist organization,” continues Sarkis Darbinyan. - The Federal Law on the Prosecutor's Office provides that the warning is sent to the official, and the person to whom it was announced may be held accountable in the manner prescribed by law for non -fulfillment of the requirements set forth in the warning. Veronica is not an official, and in the text of the document there are no clear actions from which it is necessary to refrain. ”

“In this regard, we sent an appeal to the prosecutor with a request to clarify in detail our position. If he does not, and the warning will not be canceled, we will appeal in court and the higher prosecutor, ”summarizes the head of the legal practice of Roskomvoboda.