A new criminal case has been opened against ex-members of “Viasna” and activists not associated with it

“Viasna” reported on a new criminal case against its ex-members Evgeny Zateev and Valentin Khoroshenin and Yan Ksenzhopolsky, as well as activists Vasily Neustroev not associated with the movement and another defendant whose name is unknown.

in the apartments of Zateev, Khoroshenin and Neustroev in St. Petersburg, as well as at Ksenzhopolsky’s in Tver On June 6, searches were carried out . The security forces took all the defendants to the Main Directorate of the Investigative Committee in Moscow.

Khoroshenina is charged with “creation of an extremist community” and “rehabilitation of Nazism.”

Vasily Neustroyev is charged with at once six articles :

1. dissemination of “fake news” about the Russian army;
2. “organizing mass riots”;
3. “creation of a non-profit organization that infringes on the personality and rights of citizens”;
4. “public calls for actions against the security of the state committed by an organized group”;
5. “creation of an extremist community”;
6. "rehabilitation of Nazism."

It is unknown what crimes Evgeniy Zateev, Jan Ksenzhepolsky and the fifth defendant are charged with. The preventive measure will be chosen for everyone on June 8 in the Basmanny District Court of Moscow.

Context

• The “Spring” movement was formed in 2013 by activists from “Youth Yabloko” and other opposition organizations in St. Petersburg.

• “Vesna” regularly participated in protests, and since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it has organized anti-war and anti-mobilization protests.

• Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale military aggression against Ukraine, Viasna has called for street protests. In September, Viasna organized protests against mobilization.

• On May 11, 2022, the Basmanny District Court of Moscow prohibited the defendants in the “Vesna” case, Evgeny Zateev and Valentin Khoroshenin, from leaving their home from 20:00 to 6:00, using the telephone and the Internet, communicating with witnesses in the case and other suspects, and attending meetings “ Spring" and communicate with movement participants. A few days before, both of them were searched at their place of residence in St. Petersburg, and then taken to the capital.

• On October 11, the movement was added to the “extremist_k” register, and on October 14 – to the “foreign agent_k” register.