Trial on the “extremist” case of Ksenia Fadeeva began in Tomsk

In Tomsk, on Monday, a trial began against Ksenia Fadeeva, a city duma deputy, ex-coordinator of the local headquarters of Alexei Navalny (the network of headquarters was recognized as an extremist organization, liquidated and banned in the Russian Federation). She is accused of organizing an extremist community and participating in the activities of an NGO that infringes on the personality and rights of citizens. According to investigators, Ms. Fadeeva called on Tomsk residents to go to unauthorized actions in the winter and spring of 2021, manipulating their minds and inciting them to illegal actions. The defendant has not yet commented on the charges. Earlier, Alexei Navalny himself was sentenced to 19 years in a special regime colony on similar charges.

On August 14, the first hearing in the case against Ksenia Fadeeva was held in the Sovetsky District Court of Tomsk. One of her defenders, lawyer Semyon Vodnev, who had just joined the process, filed a petition to familiarize himself with the materials of the 90-volume criminal case, asking for 10-14 days. But judge Dmitry Khudyakov rejected the petition: according to his decision, the defense counsel will read the materials of the investigation in between sessions.

Ms. Fadeeva is accused of organizing an extremist community using her official position (part 3 of article 282.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation; up to 12 years in prison) and participation in the activities of an NGO that infringes on the personality and rights of citizens (part 3 of article 239 of the Criminal Code; up to 4 years of imprisonment).

The accusation announced by the prosecutor is connected with the work of the deputy as the head of the Tomsk headquarters of Alexei Navalny in 2017-2021. The extremist organization itself, whose creators the security forces consider an opposition politician and “unidentified persons”, began work in 2011. According to investigators, Mr. Navalny and his associates were motivated by political and ideological hatred of the current government, representatives of law enforcement agencies and the judiciary. The purpose of the creation of the organization was “a violent change in the constitutional order, a violation of the normal functioning of government bodies, social institutions.”

To achieve these intentions, the investigation believes, among other things, videos were made about the corruption of officials at various levels with calls for illegal actions against them, both sanctioned by the authorities and uncoordinated protests were held, including with the involvement of minors. According to law enforcement officers, the participation of Alexei Navalny’s supporters in the elections was dictated by the desire to create “the appearance of legitimacy in the fight against corruption.” “In fact, the purpose of participating in the elections was to collect donations for the organization of extremist activities,” the investigation believes.

The case also states that the extremist community “FBK. Navalny’s team” (the FBK, previously included in the register of foreign agents, was recognized as an extremist organization, banned in the Russian Federation and liquidated), which had an extensive network of regional cells, was characterized by the stability and solidarity of its members. Internal discipline was maintained in the organization, conspiracy methods were observed: new arrivals were thoroughly checked, all communication took place in instant messengers.

The second count of the accusation is connected with calls to participate in unsanctioned protests in support of Alexei Navalny during the period of high alert in the region, declared due to the coronavirus pandemic. They were held in Tomsk on January 23 and 31, as well as on April 21, 2021 and brought together 700, 150 and 130 participants, respectively. More than 130 people, including minors, were detained for committing various offenses.

“Fadeeva, who was the head of the structural unit of the extremist community, an informal cell of the public movement “Navalny’s Headquarters in Tomsk”, together with the deputy coordinator Fateev (Andrey Fateev, a deputy of the City Duma, who left Russia in December 2021.— “b”) and by unidentified persons as part of an organized group carried out propaganda, that is, disseminated information in order to form public opinion and manipulate public consciousness about the activities of the FBK with the inducement of citizens to commit illegal acts,” summed up the state prosecutor Yulia Karlikovskaya.

Ksenia Fadeeva has not yet commented on the charges against her. The process will continue on August 15. Recall that in September 2020, Ms. Fadeeva was elected to the Tomsk City Duma with the support of the Smart Voting project (developed by the team of Alexei Navalny). At the end of last week, Mr. Navalny himself was sentenced to 19 years in a special regime colony for incitement to extremism (part 2 of article 280 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), financing of extremism (part 2 of article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) and the creation of an extremist community (part 3 of article 282.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

Albert Konstantinov, Novosibirsk