In the St. Petersburg City Court, another hearing was held in the case of former members of the movement «Vesna» Anna Arkhipova, Evgeny Zateev, Valentin Khoroshenin, Yan Ksenzhepolsky, Vasily Neustroev, and Pavel Sinelnikov. The defense drew attention to the prosecution's evidence, consisting of photos that cannot be opened, and excerpts and selective publications from the movement's Telegram channel, shortened in the interests of the prosecution, reports SOTAvision*.
174 images in the case materials cannot be opened because the files are corrupted, and therefore, as the lawyers pointed out, cannot be examined. «The prosecution presents evidence as it sees fit», commented the state prosecutor on the defenders' statement.
Also in court, the prosecution read fragments of publications from the Telegram channel «Vesna», pulling words out of context so that they appeared similar to calls for violent regime change, omitting calls not to use violence against police officers at rallies and to appeal to the court to protect their rights.
The reason for initiating criminal cases was posts on the «Vesna» social networks, published in 2022 before the movement was recognized as «extremist». All six defendants were detained after searches on June 6, 2023. In December 2022, the youth movement «Vesna» was recognized as an «extremist organization».
The six former members of the movement «Vesna» are accused under articles on organizing an «extremist» community, creating an NGO «infringing on citizens' rights», «rehabilitation of Nazism», spreading «fakes» about the army, involvement in «mass riots», as well as public calls for «activities directed against state security».
* Recognized in Russia as a «foreign agent» and «undesirable» organization.
Photo: Telegram channel freearkhipova