The Investigative Committee demanded the arrest in absentia of Mediazona publisher Pyotr Verzilov in the case of a Canadian passport

The Main Directorate of the Investigative Committee demanded that the publisher of Mediazona, Pyotr Verzilov, be arrested in absentia in a criminal case regarding a Canadian passport. A copy of the investigator’s petition was posted by the head of the human rights group Agora, Pavel Chikov.

The hearing in the Basmanny District Court of Moscow was scheduled for January 9.

Peter Verzilov’s father lived in Canada, and the publisher of Mediazona himself studied at school there, after which he received Canadian citizenship. A case of failure to notify Verzilov of second citizenship was opened in the summer of 2020 (Article 330.2 of the Criminal Code). Then, after a series of searches, he left the country.

Although the article does not imply deprivation of liberty, the Investigative Committee explained the need for arrest by saying that Verzilov left the country, “violating the chosen preventive measure in the form of a written undertaking not to leave,” and was put on the international wanted list.

Now Verzilov is “hiding on the territory of the Vatican and the Italian Republic,” according to the petition of the Investigative Committee investigator. He was there in May during a meeting between Pope Francis and the wives of fighters from the Ukrainian Azov regiment, who were then blocked at the Azovstal plant in Mariupol.

In December 2022, they came to search Verzilov’s mother Elena. It was not known under what specific article the investigative actions were carried out. Verzilov himself assumed that they were talking about a case under the article on military “fakes.” A few days later, security forces came to Pussy Riot member Rita Flores.

The fact that Verzilov became a defendant in a criminal case under this article because of posts about the crimes of the Russian military in Bucha was reported in November by Baza and Shot . Verzilov and his defense still do not have confirmed information that an investigation is underway under this article.