A court in St. Petersburg overturned the deportation of Afghan journalist Kobra Hassani

The Krasnoselsky District Court in St. Petersburg canceled the execution of the order to deport journalist Kobra Hassani to Afghanistan, where she was in mortal danger. She was released from the Temporary Detention Center for Foreigners, reports . the press service of the city courts

The court ruled that Hassani had been held at the TsVSIG for more than eight months and called her continued detention there an “excessive restriction of rights and freedoms.” The court declared the deportation of the journalist to Afghanistan impossible, since she was subject to a preventive measure in the form of a written undertaking not to leave. Thus Hassani was released.

In Russia, Hassani became a defendant in two cases: an administrative one about illegal stay in Russia and a criminal one about an illegal attempt to leave Russia for Europe. In May 2023, the Kirovsky District Court found the journalist guilty in the first case (Part 3.1 of Article 18.8 of the Administrative Code) and imposed a fine and forced deportation to Afghanistan. This decision was not implemented, since a criminal investigation was underway against the journalist in a second case.

On February 13, 2024, the Kirovsky District Court of St. Petersburg sentenced Hassani to two years in a penal colony in the case of attempting to travel to Europe (part 3 of article 30, part 3 of article 322 of the Criminal Code). She was given credit for her stay in the pre-trial detention center and released in the courtroom. However, the possibility of deportation to Afghanistan remained: in January, Russia refused to grant her temporary asylum.

Hassani, 27, said she could face the death penalty in her homeland. While living in Afghanistan, she worked for a local television channel and was involved in public activities in the field of human rights. Hassani left Afghanistan in 2021 after the Taliban seized power and restricted women's rights. She entered the English-language program at Kiev State University. After the start of the war in Ukraine, Hassani wanted to go first to Poland, then to Germany, but her guides instead took her to Russia via Lugansk.

In Moscow, Hassani found a compatriot who promised to help her leave for Europe. In May 2022, she and several other Afghans were detained near the St. Petersburg cargo port. Hassani's defense insisted that the girl was a victim of deception and was sure that she would leave Russia legally.

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