A criminal case opened against a prominent Russian activist

A criminal case was opened against Natalya Sevets-Yermolina - a prominent activist from the northern city of Petrozavodsk, as she posted on her Telegram channel today: 

"...Finally..." - she wrote sarcastically. 

Natalya, who was known in the city as a journalist and a host of the art and event space Agriculture Club, was labeled as a “foreign agent” in April 2023 for what Russian authorities described as "discrediting" Russian army. According to Russian law, anyone with a "foreign agent" label is obliged, under the threat of a criminal prosecution, to mark anything they post online with a “foreign agent” disclaimer. 

Sevets-Yermolina, who is now in exile in Montenegro, refused to do it: 

“Because I do not consider myself a foreign agent”, she told The Barents Observer on the phone and added that now the “criminal” status brings difficulty to her life, despite living in exile: 

“My rights as a Russian citizen are limited now. Here in Montenegro we Russians are attached to the Russian embassy. My travel passport expires in 3, 5 years. I can't go to Russia to get a new one. But now, I assume, I will not be able to get a new one in the embassy either.” 

Natalya also feels scared to travel to countries that have an extradition treaty with Russia. 

Natalya told the Barents Observer that she feels bad that Russia - the country she was trying to make better in her native city of Petrozavodsk - now treats her like that: 

“At some point, I started feeling resentful. I used to organize so many public events in Petrozavodsk where everyone was welcome, had a good time, and could freely express themselves. I felt resentful that I’ve done so much for the community, but instead, all you get are the punches. But here in Montenegro, the climate is so good, the sea is so warm, and people are so kind, that I have let this resentful feeling go.”

In November 2022, Natalya Yermolina left Russia after being fined for “discrediting” the army. At that time, she was a member of the board of the Union of Journalists of Karelia, which was headed by Barents Observer journalist Georgii Chentemirov. In April 2023 he was also declared a “foreign agent”. In a month, Chentemirov and Yermolina were expelled from the Union of Journalists of Russia. In protest against this decision, more than 30 people left the regional union.