In Krasnoyarsk, a court acquitted an ex-employee of Navalny’s headquarters, who published posts with the organization’s symbols before it was recognized as extremist

The Leninsky District Court of Krasnoyarsk acquitted Natalya Peterimova, a former employee of the local headquarters of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who attracted to administrative responsibility due to old posts on Instagram with symbols of Navalny and his structures. They were later recognized by the Russian authorities as extremist organizations.

On recognizing Peterimova as innocent informs “Apology”. On September 24, a protocol was drawn up against her under Part 1 of Art. 20.3 of the Administrative Code (demonstration of the symbols of an extremist organization). “On several photos on my Instagram, they found an icon with the inscription“ H ”or a red exclamation mark, which were considered the symbols of FBK,” said Peterimova.

The minutes were drawn up because of three posts, explained Mediazone lawyer Vladimir Vasin. In two photos taken during the pickets, posters with a drawn logo were visible, and in a selfie of Peterimova posted on social networks, in the background there was a cup of coffee with the words “20! 8” – symbols of Navalny’s presidential campaign. Next to the glass was an envelope with the logo of the opposition leader.

“All posts were published even before the foundation was recognized as an extremist organization,” said Peterimova. The earliest of these images was taken back in 2018.

Peterimova is raising two children alone. At Navalny’s headquarters, she was responsible for the work of social media accounts. After the action on January 23, 2021, in defense of Navalny, she was fined 200 thousand rubles under Part 8 of Art. 20.2 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation (violation by the organizer of a public event of the established procedure for organizing or holding a meeting, meeting, demonstration, procession or picketing, committed repeatedly). Then she was fined for the January 31 rally in the amount of 300 thousand rubles.

Peterimova also spoke NGS24, that a pre-investigation check was carried out in relation to her. She was threatened with the initiation of a criminal case under Art. 212 (organization of mass riots) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

In June 2021, the Moscow City Court recognized the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), the Foundation for the Protection of Citizens’ Rights and the headquarters of Alexei Navalny as extremist organizations. A law was also passed prohibiting those involved in the work of extremist organizations from participating in elections. Several of Navalny’s supporters and journalists were arrested because of old posts with the logo of his Smart Voting project, similar to that of the FBK.