Special Rapporteur on human rights in Russia Mariana Katsarova. Russia: UN Special Rapporteur Outraged by Prison Terms for Navalny’s Lawyers Human Rights
UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Russia Mariana Katsarova on Tuesday called on Russian authorities to put an end to the persecution of the legal profession in Russia.
“I call for the immediate release of lawyers Vadim Kobzev, Alexei Liptser, and Igor Sergunin and the overturning of their sentences,” Katsarova said. “This week, as we mark International Lawyers in Danger Day on January 24, the Russian government continues to crack down on lawyers for doing their job, as exemplified by the case of the defense lawyers of the late opposition politician Alexei Navalny.”
On January 17, 2025, Kobzev, Liptser, and Sergunin were convicted of “extremism” in a trial in the Petushinsky District Court of the Vladimir Region.
“This is a disturbing warning to all lawyers who are considering taking on politically sensitive cases, especially those who defend clients who face political persecution,” Katsarova said. “The term ‘extremism’ has no basis in international law and is a violation of human rights when used to prosecute.”
The term ‘extremism’ has no basis in international law and is a violation of human rights when used to prosecute
The lack of any public information about the trial of Kobzev, Liptser and Sergunin is explained by the fact that such hearings are held behind closed doors. On January 17, when the verdict was announced, about 50 people were allowed into the courtroom, including journalists and lawyers. Five people, including four journalists, were arbitrarily detained, apparently to prevent them from attending the hearings, the Special Rapporteur said.
“The targeting of lawyers and journalists is part of a worrying pattern of targeted repression and state control aimed at silencing independent media and the legal profession across Russia,” Katsarova said.
In her report to the Human Rights Council last year, the Special Rapporteur documented the ongoing attacks on the legal profession in Russia: “Lawyers have been imprisoned, prosecuted, disbarred and intimidated simply for carrying out their professional duties.”
The Special Rapporteur has called for the release of Navalny’s three lawyers since their detention in 2023 year.
“Other lawyers, including two more former lawyers for Alexei Navalny, Alexander Fedolov and Olga Mikhailova, were forced to flee the country because they were facing similar charges,” Mariana Katsarova noted. “Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the number of convicted and imprisoned lawyers in Russia has reached a record high.”
Special Rapporteurs are part of the so-called Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. They are not UN staff and are independent from any government or organization. They serve in their individual capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.