Russia: Human rights defender arrested for displaying ‘extremist’ Facebook logo must be released immediately

In response to the arbitrary arrest of well-known Russian human rights activist Alexei Sokolov in Yekaterinburg in the Urals, Natalia Zviagina, Russia director of Amnesty International, said: The activist had displayed the Facebook logo on the Internet, which is considered an “extremist symbol” in Russia.

“With this arrest, the Russian authorities are taking revenge on Alexei Sokolov for his tireless work for prisoners’ rights and for exposing torture in Russian prisons over nearly two decades. For displaying the Facebook logo, he is being charged under a pretext that would be ridiculous if it were not real, and at the cost of his freedom and personal safety.

“The deliberately filmed brutal arrest and the harsh treatment to which Alexei Sokolov was subjected show that the authorities want to punish him severely for his human rights work. Amnesty International calls for his immediate and unconditional release and the cessation of this absurd criminal case.”

“The case of Alexei Sokolov is an example of how far the Russian authorities are prepared to go to suppress dissent and silence human rights activists.”

background

On July 5, Alexei Sokolov, the head of the Legal Foundation, a human rights organization that advocates for the rights of prisoners, was arrested after a raid on his home by Russian security forces and charged with “repeated demonstration of prohibited symbols” (Article 282.4 of the Criminal Code). Previously, in October 2023, Alexei Sokolov became the first person in Russia to serve a five-day administrative arrest for displaying the Facebook logo online. Social platforms Facebook and Instagram were banned and blocked in Russia in March 2022 after their parent company Meta was declared an “extremist” organization and its activities were banned in Russia.

Officials of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) had reported the presence of the logo on a website allegedly managed by Sokolov, leading to the indictment in October 2023.

The raids also targeted Sokolov’s son and fellow human rights activist Larisa Zakharova. Her husband was allegedly beaten during the search and their teenage daughter was threatened by police officers. During the arrest, Sokolov was allegedly mistreated, including being placed face down on the ground and asked about his “status in the criminal underworld,” according to videos published by pro-government media.

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