On July 15, 2022, a court in Krasnodar (southern Russia) sentenced Andrei Pivovarov to four years in prison for “carrying out activities of an undesirable organization”, under a law that contravenes Russia’s international human rights obligations. Andrei Pivovarov is a political activist, human rights defender and the former director of Open Russia, an organisation advocating for democracy and human rights. On May 31, 2021, he was taken off a flight in Saint Petersburg and arbitrarily detained since. Andrei Pivovarov has committed no internationally recognized crime and has been jailed for exercising his rights to freedom of expression and association. He is appealing his conviction.
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Igor Victorovich Krasnov
Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation
15a Bolshaya Dmitrovka street
Moscow
125993
Russian Federation
Ambassador Anatoly Antonov
Embassy of the Russian Federation
2650 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington DC 20007
Phone: 202 298 5700 I Fax: 202 298 5735
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @RusEmbUSA
Facebook: @RusEmbUSA
Instagram: @RusEmbUSA
Salutation: Dear Ambassador
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear Prosecutor General,
I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the arbitrary prosecution and conviction of activist Andrei Pivovarov, who was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment on charges of “carrying out the activities of an undesirable organization” (Article 284.1 of the Criminal Code). He is appealing his conviction. Andrei Pivovarov’s only “crime” was posting information about the peaceful and lawful activities of the Russian non-governmental organization, Open Russia. He was arrested on May 31, 2021, and put in pretrial detention in Krasnodar, a city many kilometres away from his home.
Andrei Pivovarov is a prominent political activist and human rights defender from Saint Petersburg. He has been involved in the democracy and human rights movement in Russia for more than 15 years and has never used or condoned violence. Exercising one’s rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association is not a crime. They are guaranteed by the Russian Constitution and international law.
In the light of the above, I urge you to drop the criminal charges against Andrei Pivovarov, end his prosecution and immediately and unconditionally release him.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
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