According to «The First Department», in the first nine months of 2025, at least fifty criminal cases were initiated against lawyers in Russia — and these are only the cases that can be confirmed through open sources. In reality, there are many more cases and individuals involved.
In 2025, cases against lawyers were initiated on various grounds, the most «popular» being economic articles, although they are increasingly used as a repressive tool in connection with the professional activities of lawyers. Cases were also initiated against lawyers under articles ranging from «evasion of duties of a foreign agent» to «public justification of terrorism», «assistance to terrorist activities», and even «confidential cooperation with a foreign state».
The most high-profile event of early 2025 was the sentencing of three lawyers of Alexei Navalny** — Vadim Kobzev**, Alexei Lipcer**, and Igor Sergunin** — in a case of «participation in the activities of an extremist community».
In the spring of 2025, the Kaliningrad region became the center of several criminal prosecutions of lawyers. All of them began on the basis of operational materials from the regional FSB and were related to accusations of extremism, treason, and «cooperation with foreign structures».
On March 7, the Investigative Committee for the Kaliningrad region detained lawyer Vladislav Zavgorodny. According to the investigation, in October 2024, he published a comment in which he «expressed regret that a Ukrainian drone did not strike representatives of the top leadership of Russia». These words became the basis for the charge of «public calls for terrorism». The lawyer is in pre-trial detention.
On May 28, lawyer Maria Boncler was detained in Kaliningrad. The investigation claims that she «cooperated confidentially with a foreign state», passing «information about law enforcement officers in the region».
On September 6, lawyer Vladimir Sorokin was detained in Kaliningrad. He was accused of «financing extremist activities», allegedly transferring 500 rubles to the FBK***, recognized as an «extremist» organization, back in 2021.
* Recognized in Russia as a «foreign agent».
** Listed as «terrorists and extremists».
*** Recognized in Russia as an «extremist» organization.