The prosecutor requested 12 years in prison for the ex-head of the Pskov branch of “Open Russia” Leah Milushkina

The prosecutor’s office demanded 12 years of general regime for the former head of the Pskov branch of Open Russia, Leah Milushkina, and 16 years of strict regime for her husband Artyom Milushkin. About it informs “Pskov province”.

Milushkina and her husband were detained in January 2019 on suspicion of selling drugs on a large scale. The punishment under this article is from 10 to 20 years in prison. Artem Milushkin was one of the organizers of the anti-corruption rally in Pskov on 4 November. On that day, shortly before the start of the rally, his car was stopped by the traffic police, after which two police officers in civilian clothes forcibly detained him and took him to the police station. Milushkin reported that law enforcement officers promised to plant drugs on him the next time he was detained.

In June of the same year, Milushkina’s lawyer toldthat the deputy head of the Center for Counteracting Extremism of the Rostov Region Valentin Krasnokutsky offered the activist cooperation in the criminal case against the arrested Anastasia Shevchenko in exchange for the fact that one more case would not be opened against Milushkina herself. Milushkina refused to cooperate.

In November 2020, a criminal drug case against the ex-coordinator of the Pskov branch of Open Russia, Liya Milushkina, and her husband Artyom, were brought to court.

“The state prosecutor announced this at the next court hearing on the extension of the arrest. We, as a side of the defense, have already got acquainted with the materials of the case. The court session should be scheduled 14 days after the case was submitted to the court, ”said Tatiana Martynova, Milushkina’s lawyer.

On May 27, 2021, the Open Russia Council decided to liquidate the organization.

At the same time, the statement of the employees of “Open Russia” emphasized that they would continue to “support independent politicians, engage in education and provide legal support to victims of arbitrary power – to the best of their ability.”

The director of the organization, Andrei Pivovarov, was arrested several days later and charged under Art. 284.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – carrying out the activities of an undesirable organization.