In Sunzha, Ingushetia, representatives of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation raided the apartment where woman human rights defender and journalist Isabella Evloeva, is officially registered, on June 7. The apartment belongs to her elderly parents.
This raid is part of a continued state-sponsored criminal persecution against Isabella Evloeva, who is now being charged with two counts of “public circulation of fake information on the deployment of the Russian army and the state bodies’ execution of its powers.” Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation suggests that, if charged, a woman human rights defender may face up to 15 years in prison.
She is the Editor-in-Chief of Fortanga.org, a regional independent media outlet that covers human rights violations in the Republic of Ingushetia, including the border conflict between the Chechen Republic and the Republic of Ingushetia, and covers persecution of the human rights defenders and activists in Ingushetia.
On the previous day, Isabella Evloeva’s parents received a letter stating that on May 10, the Investigative Committee of The Russian Federation in the Republic of Ingushetia launched a criminal case against her for “public circulation of fake information on the deployment of the Russian’s army and the state bodies’ execution of its powers” as envisioned by the Part 1, Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
A woman human rights defender may face up to 15 years in prison if charged. After the raid, Isabella Evloeva reported on her social media that she can’t get in touch with her parents, saying that the law enforcement officers might have brought them in for questioning. She regained contact with them by the end of 7 June 2022.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Investigative Committee launched two criminal cases against Isabella Evloeva. In both cases, the authorities claim that the woman human rights defender violated the so-called law on “circulating fake information about the activities of Russian military in Ukraine.”
Her relatives defender also faced pressure when the Investigative Committee launched the first criminal case against her for “spreading fake information about the Russian military”. On 27 April 2022, law enforcement officers brought Isabella Evloeva’s father and daughter in for questioning
Front Line Defenders (FLD) condemns the continued persecution of woman human rights defender and journalist, Isabella Evloeva, for her peaceful and legitimate human rights work and express grave concerns about the State’s pressure on her close family members.
It urged the authories to cease all persecution against woman human rights defender Isabella Evloeva and her family members and also to repeal the Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
