Former head of Alexei Navalny's headquarters in Ufa, Liliya Chanysheva, published her first post after her release

Former head of Alexei Navalny's headquarters in Ufa, Liliya Chanysheva, wrote her first post after being released as part of a prisoner exchange between Russia and the West.

"For all these two years and nine months, you have defended me and fought for my release, covered the case, wrote me letters, sent me parcels and sent packages - in general, you worried and supported me in any way you could. I am immensely grateful to you all for this and for being there," Chanysheva said.

"There are still hundreds of political prisoners in Russian prisons, and not all of them are publicly known. I ask you to remember them, help them and demand their release. Despite the fact that I had to serve time in prison, I do not renounce my ideas and views. I love Russia and believe that together we will make its future wonderful," the oppositionist added.

In June 2023, a court in Ufa sentenced Chanysheva to seven and a half years in a general regime penal colony for her involvement in the "extremist community" case due to her involvement in Navalny's headquarters. In April 2024, the Supreme Court of Bashkortostan increased the sentence to nine and a half years in a general regime penal colony.

In May of this year, it became known that Chanysheva wrote a petition for clemency to Vladimir Putin. "I have elderly parents. Dad <…> has a number of chronic diseases. Mom <…> is disabled and [also] has a number of chronic diseases. <…> [After stopping working at the FBK] I got married and planned to devote myself to my family, to have children," the petition said. At the end of July, Chanysheva was taken away from IK-28 in Berezniki, Perm Krai, her husband Almaz Gatin reported .