Press Release, 28.09.2021

Photo: Gulnaz Ravilova / Photo by Gulnaz Ravilova  

On 22 September, the Sovetsky District Court of Kazan, Tatarstan, recognised Gulnaz Ravilova, Yabloko’s activist in Kazan, as “involved in the activities of an extremist organization”. Ravilova will be deprived of her passive electoral right for three years from the date the decision enters into force. The activist intends to appeal the court decision.

The lawsuit was filed by the district Public Prosecutor’s Office. The Public Prosecutor’s Office considers posts on her social networks in support of political prisoners to be evidence of Ravilova’s connection with an “extremist organisation”. For example, the published statement about the existence of political repressions in the country, as well as the demand for the release of Alexei Navalny and all political prisoners are classified as extremist materials. The Public Prosecutor’s Office is convinced that political repressions represent “the lawful actions of law enforcement agencies”, and to write and speak differently means “to discredit the authorities,” that is, to engage in extremism.

“One of the main ideologies of an extremist organisation is the formation of an opinion about the need to change the government in the country,” the claim by Public Prosecutor’s Office runs.

In addition, Ravilova provided assistance to those detained at protest rallies. The Public Prosecutor’s Office also considered this to be the proof of the connection with Navalny’s headquarters.

Prior to that, the Vakhitovsky District Court of Kazan recognised Ruslan Zinatullin, leader of the Yabloko list in Tatarstan in the last elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation, and Yelena Izotova, who was number two on the Yabloko candidates list in Tatarstan, “involved in the activities of an extremist organization”. Gulnaz Ravilova came third in the regional group of candidates on the federal list of Yabloko.