Yekaterina Vologzheninova, a shop assistant from Yekaterinburg, published on Vkontakte during 2014 a number of posts with links to publications, films, texts, and images in connection with the conflict in Ukraine. Some were critical of the Russian annexation of the Crimea (annexation is violative of international law), others of the participation of Russia in the conflict in Donbass, eastern Ukraine. Her account is available only to confirmed friends. On December 12th, 2014, police took Yekaterina Vologzheninova from her apartment for questioning. She was accused of „public incitement of hatred or enmity and spotting human dignity“ (Article 282 Part I of the Russian Criminal Code). If convicted, she would face up to five years of imprisonment.
During the investigation of the case, state authorities solicited psycholinguistic expertise to analyze her posts and questioned her colleagues and other acquaintances, attempting to prove that her motivation was specifically to incite hatred. The investigation concluded that Yekaterina Vologzheninova’s intention had been to publicly and deliberately criticize government policies and incite hatred against the Russian government and the Russians fighting in eastern Ukraine. In late September 2015, the case was handed over to the court in Zheleznodorozhnyi Court in Yekaterinburg. The first hearing was held on October 27th.
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Urging the Russian authorities to close the criminal case against Yekaterina Vologzheninova as she has exercised her right to freedom of expression and not committed an internationally recognisable criminal offense.
Calling on them to respect and protect the right to freedom of expression.
Vážený pane generální prokurátore,
rád/a bych tímto dopisem vyjádřil/a znepokojení nad vedením soudu s Jekatěrinou Vologženinovou. Ta je obviněna z veřejného podněcování nenávisti a nepřátelství za to, že na sociální síti Vkontakte sdílela s přáteli kritický obsah vůči politice Ruské federace.
Žádám Vás o to, aby příslušné orgány zvážily toto stíhání s ohledem na mezinárodní právní závazky o respektování a ochraně svobody slova.
S úctou,
Dear Prosecutor General,
I would like to express my deep concern over the way in which Yekaterina Vologzheninova´s trial is being conducted. She is accused of “publicly inciting hatred and enmity as well as denigrating human dignity” on the Vkontakte social network, where she was sharing content critical of the Russian government with her friends.
I urge you to take into account international legal obligations to respect and protect the freedom of speech, and to drop all charges against Ms Volgzheninova immediately.
Sincerely,
