Mikhail Kavun
Mikhail Kavun, born 1961, Moscow. Charges: Article 282.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Financing of extremist activities); “Mikhail Kavun's case on Right Sector financing”. Sentence (February 10, 2023): the case was dismissed due to the expiry of the statute of limitations. Status: not in Russia. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, February 28, 2023.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · Scientists · Extremism cases
Sentence
the case was dismissed due to the expiry of the statute of limitations
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 282.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Financing of extremist activities
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, between 2015 and 2019, Kavun transferred to the political head of the Right Sector branch of the organisation Pirozhk I.N. at least 20,000 hryvnias, as well as at least 70,000 rubles to ensure its activities. In addition, the investigator believed that Kavun "shared the ideas of Ukrainian nationalism" because he has some kind of diplomas from Right Sector, publicly criticised Putin's policies, and often travelled to Ukraine after 2014. Such testimony, as emphasised in the "First Department", was given by an anonymous witness, who is proceeding in the case under a pseudonym.
Latest event
February 28, 2023 — recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, February 28, 2023
Timeline
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Removed from the Rosfinmonitoring list
· First-instance verdict
case dismissed
· Persecution ends
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
Mikhail Kavun's case on Right Sector financing
Criminal case
Mikhail Kavun's case on Right Sector financing
Details and sources
Full summary
He is a geologist and a candidate of sciences. According to his lawyer's version, the attention of law enforcement was drawn to his photo in which he posed in a T-shirt with the inscription "Zhidobandera", the inscription "Glory to Ukraine" on his motorbike that had a licence plate with letters “PTN PNH” (a Russian abbreviation meaning “Putin, go f*** yourself”). He often travelled to Ukraine, and those trips contributed to his being charged with financing extremist activities.
“In the summer of 2021, Mikhail was stopped by officers of the “E” Centre and was told that he was allegedly listening to banned music – the Ukrainian band Okean Elzy,” said Dmitry Zakhvatov, a lawyer cooperating with Department One.
Shortly before his arrest in April 2022, Kavun was subjected to a merry-go-round of arrests: first, he was detained on trumped-up charges of disobedience to policeand, and then allegedly for petty hooliganism.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.