Urgent Action: Human rights defender under house arrest

On 23 January, Anastasia Shevchenko, an Open Russia human rights defender from Rostov-on-Don, in southern Russia, was put under house arrest and may face up to six years in prison if convicted. This is the first time the Russian authorities have opened a criminal case under the repressive “undesirable organizations” law. It is a worrying precedent and could open the floodgates to the prosecution of hundreds of Open Russia members across the country. Anastasia Shevchenko is a prisoner of conscience. She must be immediately and unconditionally released.

Take action.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 7 MARCH 2019

Please write urgently in your own words or using the template letter included in English or Russian to:

Head of the Investigation Department for Rostov Oblast

Aslan Garunovich Huade

13/2, Beregovaya Street

Rostov-on-Don, 344082

Russian Federation 

Fax: +7 (863) 227 0193

Online contact form: www.rostov.sledcom.ru/references

Instagram and Facebook: suskrnd

Salutation: Dear Head of the Investigation Department

And copies to:

Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation

Yuriy Yakovlevich Chaika 

Prosecutor General’s Office 

125993 Moscow GSP-3 

ul. B. Dmitrovka 15a 

Russian Federation 

Fax: +7 495 987 58 41 / +7 495 692 17 25 

Salutation: Dear Prosecutor General 

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country.

HIS EXCELLENCY MR ALEXANDER VLADIMIROVICH YAKOVENKO Embassy of Russia 6-7 Kensington Palace Gardens London W8 4QP 020 7229 6412

Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.