Activist involved in securing permanent residency for Russians in Europe arrested for treason

Activist and lawyer German Moyzhes was arrested earlier this week in St. Petersburg and charged with treason, local newspaper Fontanka reported Friday.

Moyzhes was riding his bike along an embankment in St. Petersburg when he was confronted by police cars and detained on Tuesday, Fontanka wrote.

He was then transported to the infamous Lefortovo prison in Moscow, which is under the de facto control of the Russian security services. There is little information available on the case as the court records are classified and the trial is being held behind closed doors.

Journalist Sergey Parkhomenko suggested on Telegram that Moyzhes could have been arrested as a “hostage” due to his dual Russian-German citizenship. “Putin and his security services continue bargaining for the release of murderers and terrorists in whom Putin’s regime has an interest,” he wrote.

Moyzhes is a lawyer and managing partner for AVERS Group, a company that provides support to Russian citizens seeking a residence permit in Germany.

A known advocate for pedestrian and cyclist-friendly infrastructure, Moyzhes participated in public talks at the St. Petersburg parliament in February, where he complained about receiving negative comments on his social media due to his public stance. “They say that I’m a German citizen, as if it violates the law,” he said, quoted by Fontanka.