A case was opened against the coordinator of the “Left Front” Sergei Udaltsov for justifying terrorism

The Basmanny District Court sent the politician to a pre-trial detention center; he is accused of supporting those involved in the case of the Ufa “circle of Marxists.”

On January 11, 2024, the coordinator of the “Left Front” Sergei Udaltsov was detained in Moscow, and his home was searched. On January 12, the Basmanny District Court sent Udaltsov to a pre-trial detention center. A criminal case has been initiated against him under Part 2 of Art. 205.2 of the Criminal Code on the justification of terrorism.

The reason for the prosecution was certain posts on the politician’s Telegram channel, in which he expressed outrage at the criminal prosecution of a group of Ufa Marxists arrested in March 2022. Five activists are accused under CC. 1 and 2 tbsp. 205.4 of the Criminal Code in the creation of a terrorist community and participation in it, under Part 2 of Art. 205.2 of the Criminal Code for propaganda and justification of terrorism, under Part 1 of Art. 30 and art. 278 of the Criminal Code in the preparation of a violent seizure of power, as well as in the group theft of weapons and ammunition. Among them are former State Duma candidate from the “Communists of Russia” Pavel Matisov, deputy of the Kurultai of Bashkortostan and chairman of the local “Left Front” Dmitry Chuvilin, otolaryngologist Alexey Dmitriev, pensioner Yuri Efimov and left-wing activist Rinat Burkeev. Since October 2023, the case has been considered by the Central District Military Court. The charges were brought on the basis of texts and videos that were published in the circle group on VKontakte in 2019–2021. The investigation also alleged that “grenades, traumatic weapons, Molotov cocktails, means of communication, equipment for use in field conditions, and extremist literature” were confiscated from members of the circle. The defendants in the case do not admit guilt; Chuvilin stated that law enforcement officers used threats and violence against them; it was also reported that a provocateur could be introduced into the circle.

Udaltsov actually wrote about this case more than once on his channel, calling the charges brought against members of the group absurd - in his opinion, the investigation interpreted the study of Marxism as terrorism - talking about pickets and petitions in their support and about collecting money to provide them with legal assistance and parcel delivery. Before the court hearing to select a preventive measure for him, Udaltsov said that “moral support for people who have not yet been convicted can in no way be a justification for terrorism.”

Having familiarized ourselves with Udaltsov’s publications about the case of the Ufa Marxists, we did not find support for any violent activity in his statements; he only said that he considered the persecution of activists to be unfounded. Let us remind you that according to the note to Art. 205.2 of the Criminal Code, by public justification of terrorism it “understands a public statement recognizing the ideology and practice of terrorism as correct, in need of support and imitation.” If Udaltsov did not make such statements, there are no legal grounds for his prosecution.

Sources

• Sergei Udaltsov. Arrest for “justifying terrorism” // Mediazona. 2024. January 12.