The Basmanny District Court of Moscow arrested in absentia lawyer Olga Mikhailova, who for many years defended the interests of politician Alexei Navalny. This was reported by a Mediazona correspondent from the courtroom.
Navalny’s lawyers Olga Mikhailova, Alexander Fedulov, Vadim Kobzev, Alexey Liptser and Igor Sergunin were accused of participating in an “extremist community” (Part 2 of Article 282.1 of the Criminal Code). The investigation believes that it was through them that the oppositionist transmitted information from the colony to his comrades.
At today's meeting, the investigator insisted that “there are sufficient grounds to believe that Mikhailova is a member of the extremist community and is abroad, from where she continues her criminal activities » In his opinion, a lawyer from another country can influence the investigation by deleting documents.
Lawyer Arkady Kolesnikov explained to judge Natalya Dudar that Mikhailova’s actions did not go beyond the scope of her professional duties:
— As follows from the decision to bring Olga Mikhailova as a defendant, she is actually being persecuted for her advocacy. The investigation indicates that Mikhailova “no later than September 14, 2021, under circumstances not established by the investigation, joined the FBK extremist community.” This statement is absurd and cannot be true, because it is known that since 2007 Mikhailova has provided professional legal assistance to Alexey Anatolyevich Navalny during numerous trials. Why on earth did she need to join any community? This is precisely the question the investigation cannot answer even to itself.
Mikhailova’s lawyer also specifically drew the court’s attention to the fact that materials that were related to Mikhailova’s work as Navalny’s lawyer cannot be used as evidence — this information is confidential: “She cannot defend herself, since she would have to violate attorney-client privilege [in Navalny’s cases].” .
Kolesnikov called the persecution of Navalny’s lawyers an attempt to deprive the politician of legal assistance
Kobzev, Liptser and Sergunin have been under arrest since October last year. Mikhailova was on vacation in Jordan at that time and decided not to return to Russia.
Navalny’s lawyers in the pre-trial detention center. Who are Vadim Kobzev, Alexey Liptser and Igor Sergunin
“It turns out that I did not defend Alexei Navalny in all criminal and administrative cases, did not win complaints in the European Court, but participated in the extremist community created by him in 2011 «, — Olga Mikhailova recounted the position of the investigators after the presentation of charges in absentia.
In early February, the Ministry of Internal Affairs put Olga Mikhailova and Alexander Fedulov on the wanted list.