Case History: Elena Shakhova

On 1 March 2016, human rights defender Ms Elena Shakhova was questioned by representatives of the local office of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) in Saint Petersburg over the work of the non-governmental organisation Citizens Watch. Her fellow human rights defender Ms Maria Razumovskaya has been summoned to report to the FSB office for questioning over the same subject on 9 March 2016.

Elena Shakhova is Chairperson of Citizens Watch, a human rights organisation in Saint Petersburg, where Maria Razumovskaya serves as Deputy Chairperson.

On 1 March 2016, Elena Shakhova reported to the local office of FSB in Saint Petersburg, where two officers questioned her about the work of Citizens Watch. The human rights defender was asked whether the organisation continues to receive foreign funding, how its grants contracts are concluded and with whom, whether the organisation is making attempts to have itself removed from the 'foreign agent' list, if it timely submits all the required reports about its activities and whether the organisation plans to monitor the elections of the Russian Parliament in 2016.        

On 19 February 2016, a representative of FSB appeared at the office of Citizens Watch and handed a summons to Maria Razumovskaya and Elena Shakhova. The document did not provide reasons for the questioning. Both human rights defenders agreed with the FSB officer to appear at the department in early March.