Pre-trial detention of human rights lawyer Dmitry Talantov extended
On 14 September 2022, colleagues of human rights lawyer Dmitry Talantov reported that aggravated charges have been brought against the human rights defender for his anti-war posts on Facebook. Dmitry Talantov is now charged with three more counts for violating Article 207.3 (part 2.D) of the Criminal Code of Russian Federation on the dissemination of fake information motivated by political hatred or enmity and with two more counts for violating Article 282 (2.B) of the Criminal Code of Russian Federation for inciting hatred or enmity by a person using his official position. The human rights lawyer faces up to 15 years in prison.
On 19 August 2022, the Cheryomushki District Court in Moscow extended the pre-trial detention of human rights lawyer Dmitry Talantov until 23 September 2022. Initially, the human rights lawyer was to be kept in pre-trial detention until 21 August 2022. It is reported that the court believes that due to Dmitry Talantov’s profession and reputation within the Russian Bar, he may interfere with the investigation.
On 29 June 2022, the Cheryomushki District Court of Moscow sentenced human rights defender and lawyer, Dmitry Talantov, to pre-trial detention as a restrictive measure until 23 August 2022. The human rights defender is facing charges for the alleged public dissemination of "deliberately false information" about the actions of the Russian Armed Forces stipulated by part 2 of Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Officially, Dmitry Talantov is being prosecuted for voicing his anti-war sentiments on Facebook. However, his colleagues state that Russian Federal Security Services might be targeting the human rights lawyer for acting as a defence attorney of former journalist and advisor to the Head of RosCosmos, Ivan Safronov. If charged, Dmitry Talantov can face up to 10 years of imprisonment under these charges.
Dmitry Talantov is a human rights lawyer and president of the Bar Association of the Udmurtia region. Dmitry Talantov is the acting lawyer for Ivan Safronov, a journalist and RosCosmos official, on trial for a politically motivated high-treason charge. Dmitry Talantov started acting as Ivan Safronov's attorney in August 2021, after Safronov's previous attorney, human rights defender and lawyer, Ivan Pavlov, faced persecution and threats of disbarment because of his legal work on the case.
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- 25 April 2023 : Pre-trial detention of human rights lawyer Dmitry Talantov extended
- 22 September 2022 : Aggravated Charges against human rights lawyer Dmitry Talantov
- 26 August 2022 : Human rights lawyer Dmitry Talantov’s pre-trial detention extended until 23 September 2022
- 4 July 2022 : Human rights defender and lawyer Dmitry Talantov detained and faces “spreading false information” charges
On 20 April 2023, Zavyalov District Court in Udmuriya extended the pre-trial detention of human rights defender and lawyer Dmitry Talantov until 26 June 2023. The human rights defender has been in detention since September 2022. He is being targeted for his Facebook posts against the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine as well as for incitement of hatered. The human rights lawyer faces up to 15 years in prison.
Dmitry Talantov is a human rights lawyer and president of the Bar Association of the Udmurtia region. He is the acting lawyer for Ivan Safronov, a journalist and RosCosmos official, on trial for a politically motivated high-treason charge. Dmitry Talantov started acting as Ivan Safronov's lawyer in August 2021, after Ivan Safronov's previous attorney, human rights defender and lawyer Ivan Pavlov faced persecution and threats of disbarment because of his legal work on the case. Dmitry Talantov has been targeted since he started to represent Ivan Safronov.
On 20 April 2023, Zavyalov District Court in Udmuriya extended the pre-trial detention for human rights defender and lawyer Dmitry Talantov until 26 June 2023. The human rights lawyer was transferred to Udmurtiya Pre-Trial Detention Center #1 on 28 January 2023, after his lawyers successfully secured that his case would be tried in Izhevsk, Udmurtiya months previous, in November 2022 once the investigative activities in Moscow were finalised on 18 October 2022. The defence lawyers argued that since the investigation established that Dmitry Talantov committed his so-called crimes (publishing social media posts) while residing in his country house near Izhevsk, he should be tried in Udmurtiya, not in Moscow.
On 20 January 2023, the Council of the Bar Association of Udmurtya removed human rigths defender Dmirty Talantov as the President of the regional Bar Association and elected a new president. In response, Dmitry Talantov published a statement, saying that while he understands the precarity of his position in the pre-trial detention, he expected more solidarity and transparency on the side of the Bar Association. The human rights lawyer expressed disappointment about the growing lack of independence of the Bar Association from the Russian government.
Days earlier, on 18 January 2023, Zavyalov District Court in Udmuriya started reviewing Dmitry Talantov’s case. The Judge refused to release Dmitry Talantov from pre-trial detention in lieu of house arrest. The human rights defender has been in pre-trial detention since June 2022.
On 28 June 2022, Dmitry Talantov was detained, handcuffed and taken to the Investigative Committee for questioning. The same evening the human rights lawyer was transported to Moscow, where the Cheryomushki District Court decided to send him to a pre-trial detention centre. Dmitry Talantov is being charged with three counts of violaton of the Article 207.3 (part 2.A and D) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for allegedly disseminating fake information motivated by political hatred or enmity, and two counts of violation of the Article 282 (2.B) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for alledgedly inciting hatred or enmity. The investigation argues that Dmitry Talantov used his official position as the President of the Bar Association of Udmurtia to commit these offences.
Front Line Defenders condemns the ongoing detention of human rights lawyer Dmitry Talantov as it believes he has been solely targeted as a result of his legitimate work as a human rights lawyer. Front Line Defenders condemns the criminal persecution of human rights defender Dmitry Talantov for the so-called “public dissemination of deliberately false information about the use of the Russian Armed Forces.” Front Line Defenders urges that the expansion of the Russian Federation's Criminal Code with a set of articles against “discreditation” and “fakes” against the Russian military fosters censorship in the country. Front Line Defenders reiterates its concern about the systemic grave misuse of the set of new censorship laws that are disproportionately used to silence human rights defenders, lawyers, and journalists.
On 14 September 2022, colleagues of human rights lawyer Dmitry Talantov reported that aggravated charges have been brought against the human rights defender for his anti-war posts on Facebook. Dmitry Talantov is now charged with three more counts for violating Article 207.3 (part 2.D) of the Criminal Code of Russian Federation on the dissemination of fake information motivated by political hatred or enmity and with two more counts for violating Article 282 (2.B) of the Criminal Code of Russian Federation for inciting hatred or enmity by a person using his official position. The human rights lawyer faces up to 15 years in prison.
Dmitry Talantov is a human rights lawyer and president of the Bar Association of the Udmurtia region. He is the acting lawyer for Ivan Safronov, a journalist and RosCosmos official, on trial for a politically motivated high-treason charge. Dmitry Talantov started acting as Ivan Safronov's attorney in August 2021, after Ivan Safronov's previous attorney, human rights defender and lawyer Ivan Pavlov faced persecution and threats of disbarment because of his legal work on the case.
On September 2022, colleagues of human rights lawyers Dmitry Talantov reported that aggravated charges have been brought against him for his anti-war posts on Facebook. Dmirty Talantov is now charged with three more counts for violating Article 207.3 (part 2.D) of the Criminal Code of Russian Federation on the dissemination of fake information motivated by political hatred or enmity, and two more counts for violating Article 282 (2.B) of the Criminal Code of Russian Federation for inciting hatred or enmity by a person using his official position.
According to employees of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Talantov, “knowingly aware of the popularity of the social network Facebook and foreseeing the onset of socially dangerous consequences in the form of undermining the authority and discrediting the authorities and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, decided to disseminate deliberately false information”, published a post and “formed in hostility to the decision of the executive and legislative authorities of the Russian Federation. The human rights lawyer now faces up to 15 years in prison.
On 19 August 2022, the Cheryomushki District Court in Moscow extended the pre-trial detention of Dmitry Talantov until 23 September 2022. On 28 June 2022, Dmitry Talantov was detained, handcuffed and taken to the Investigative Committee for questioning. The same evening the human rights lawyer was transported to Moscow, where the Cheryomushki District Court decided to send him to a pre-trial detention centre. The human rights defender is facing charges for the alleged public dissemination of "deliberately false information" about the actions of the Russian Armed Forces. Officially, Dmitry Talantov is being prosecuted for voicing his anti-war sentiments on Facebook, however, his colleagues suggest that this is also a retaliation for him acting as a defence attorney of former journalist and Roscosmos official, Ivan Safronov, who is now in detention on treason charges.
Front Line Defenders condemns the ongoing detention of human rights lawyer Dmitry Talantov as it believes he has been solely targeted as a result of his legitimate work as a human rights lawyer. Front Line Defenders again reiterates its concern regarding the law оn spreading so-called “fake information” about the Russian army, as it disproportionately targets human rights defenders in the country.
On 19 August 2022, the Cheryomushki District Court in Moscow extended the pre-trial detention of human rights lawyer Dmitry Talantov until 23 September 2022. Initially, the human rights lawyer was to be kept in pre-trial detention until 21 August 2022. It is reported that the court believes that due to Dmitry Talantov’s profession and reputation within the Russian Bar, he may interfere with the investigation.
Dmitry Talantov is a human rights lawyer and president of the Bar Association of the Udmurtia region. Dmitry Talantov is the acting lawyer for Ivan Safronov, a journalist and RosCosmos official, on trial for a politically motivated high-treason charge. Dmitry Talantov started acting as Ivan Safronov's attorney in August 2021, after Ivan Safronov's previous attorney, human rights defender and lawyer, Ivan Pavlov, faced persecution and threats of disbarment because of his legal work on the case.
On 19 August 2022, the Cheryomushki District Court in Moscow extended the pre-trial detention of human rights lawyer Dmitry Talantov until 23 September 2022. Initially, the human rights lawyer was to be kept in pre-trial detention until 21 August 2022. It is reported that the court believes that due to Dmitry Talantov’s profession, he possesses knowledge of legal practices which include investigating criminal cases and therefore he may interfere with the investigation. While the court extended the pre-trial detention term, it was not made clear the evidence which is being used to justify the human rights lawyer’s detention. The investigator believes that the human rights lawyer’s post on Facebook for which he is accused of public dissemination of "deliberately false information" may have caused citizens to feel fear and a sense of anxiety, worry and insecurity towards the State. Additionally, the investigator claims that Dmitry Talantov was guided by political hatred and had an unfriendly and hostile, aggressive attitude towards the authorities. Earlier, on 2 August 2022, the human rights lawyer lost the appeal filed against his detention, keeping him detained until 21 August 2022.
Dmitry Talantov’s lawyer had reported that since the beginning of his pre-trial detention on 29 June 2022, Dmitry Talantov was kept in conditions that can qualify as inhumane. The human rights lawyer was placed in an over-crowded cell, where he was expected to sleep on the floor. The first night he spent sitting on a bench. On July 14 2022, Dmitry Talantov’s defence attorney reported that a bunk-bed was added to the eight-bed cell, which now accommodates ten people.
On 28 June 2022, Dmitry Talantov was detained, handcuffed and taken to the Investigative Committee for questioning. The same evening the human rights lawyer was transported to Moscow, where the Cheryomushki District Court decided to send him to a pre-trial detention centre. The Court sentenced the human rights lawyer to pre-trial detention until 23 August 2022. On 29 June 2022, the Cheryomushki District Court of Moscow sentenced human rights defender and lawyer, Dmitry Talantov, to pre-trial detention as a restrictive measure until 23 August 2022. The human rights defender is facing charges for the alleged public dissemination of "deliberately false information" about the actions of the Russian Armed Forces stipulated by part 2 of Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Officially, Dmitry Talantov is being prosecuted for voicing his anti-war sentiments on Facebook, however, his colleagues suggest that this is also a retaliation for him acting as a defence attorney of former journalist and Roscosmos official, Ivan Safronov, who is now in detention on treason charges.
Front Line Defenders condemns the ongoing detention of human rights lawyer Dmitry Talantov as it believes he has been solely targeted as a result of his legitimate work as a human rights lawyer. Front Line Defenders again reiterates its concern regarding the law оn spreading so-called “fakes information” about the Russian army, as it disproportionately targets human rights defenders in the country.
On 29 June 2022, the Cheryomushki District Court of Moscow sentenced human rights defender and lawyer, Dmitry Talantov, to pre-trial detention as a restrictive measure until 23 August 2022. The human rights defender is facing charges for the alleged public dissemination of "deliberately false information" about the actions of the Russian Armed Forces stipulated by part 2 of Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Officially, Dmitry Talantov is being prosecuted for voicing his anti-war sentiments on Facebook. However, his colleagues state that Russian Federal Security Services might be targeting the human rights lawyer for acting as a defence attorney of former journalist and advisor to the Head of RosCosmos, Ivan Safronov. If charged, Dmitry Talantov can face up to 10 years of imprisonment under these charges.
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Dmitry Talantov is a human rights lawyer and president of the Bar Association of the Udmurtia region. Dmitry Talantov is the acting lawyer for Ivan Safronov, a journalist and RosCosmos official, on trial for a politically motivated high-treason charge. Dmitry Talantov started acting as Ivan Safronov's attorney in August 2021, after Safronov's previous attorney, human rights defender and lawyer, Ivan Pavlov, faced persecution and threats of disbarment because of his legal work on the case.
On 28 June 2022, in Izhevsk, around 10.00 am, human rights lawyer Dmitry Talantov was detained, handcuffed, and taken to the Investigative Committee for questioning. The human rights defender did not have access to any legal assistance at the time of his arrest. The law enforcement also seized Dmitry Talantov’s documents, that constitute attorney-client privilege. The police raided Dmitry Talantov’s apartment, his country-house, and his office in the Bar Association of the Udmurtia region. In the evening of 28 June 2022, the human rights lawyer was transported to Moscow. The next day, on 29 June 2022, the Cheryomushki District Court sentenced Dmitry Talantov to pre-trial detention until 23 August 2022. The human rights lawyer has been charged with public dissemination of "deliberately false information" about the actions of the Russian Armed Forces as per part 2 of Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The charge is related to Dmitry Talantov's Facebook posts from April 2022, which conveyed his strong anti-war sentiments.
The Prosecutor asked the Judge to hold the trial behind closed doors, arguing that the case contains an investigative search report by police, an expert examination that contains “other state secret information, protected by the law,” and a response from the General Staff of the Ministry of Defence, that also contains such state secret information. The motion was granted despite Dmitry Talantov's statement that no documentation could qualify as a state secret. The Court also refused to provide Dmitry Talantov any medical assistance, including refusal to call an ambulance to the Court, when the human rights defender reported chest pain and an increase in his blood pressure.
Judicial harassment against Dmitry Talantov constitutes part of a continued attack against human rights lawyers, who act as defence attorneys for journalist and RosCosmos advisor Ivan Safronov. On 30 April 2021, the Federal Security Service arrested human rights defender and attorney Ivan Pavlov in Moscow and indicted him for "disclosure of the data of a preliminary investigation" in the case of Ivan Safronov under Article 310 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, and prohibiting him from engaging in any communication, except in-person meetings. Since then, in November 2021, the Russian Ministry of Justice listed Ivan Pavlov as a foreign agent. In March 2022, the St. Petersburg Bar Association barred Ivan Pavlov from providing any type of legal assistance, stating that if he continued to do so, he would face disbarment. Dmitry Talantov's colleagues state that persecution for anti-war sentiments can be a method of preventing human rights lawyers from working on Ivan Safronov's high-treason case. They have launched a petition, calling for the release of the human rights lawyer.
Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned by the detention of human rights lawyer Dmitry Talantov as it believes he has been targeted due to his legitimate work as a human rights defender and lawyer. Front Line Defenders reiterates its concern regarding the laws on "fakes" and "disinformation" currently in the Russian legal framework, as it is being used to disproportionately target human rights defenders and lawyers. The targeting and systemic persecution of human rights lawyers by the agents of the Russian state forms part of a worrying trend that includes judicial harassment, office raids, disciplinary penalties, and disbarment threats and contributed to the rapid shrinking of the civil society space.
