Sofya Rozenfeld

Sofya Borisovna Rozenfeld was born on 9 August 1976 in Moscow. She is a Doctor of Biological Sciences, an ornithologist specialising in Arctic geese and a senior researcher at the Bird Ringing Centre of Russia at the A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The charge concerned two donations of 1,000 roubles each to the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), debited from her account in August and September 2021. FBK was designated an extremist organisation by a Moscow City Court ruling of 9 June 2021, which took effect on 4 August. Rozenfeld explained that she had set up a recurring donation before FBK was designated an extremist organisation, that she was on a scientific expedition without communication at the time, and that she cancelled the subscription on her return. Her lawyers filed her letter asking the foundation to stop the monthly payments.

According to her father, her home was searched a day or two after she returned from Israel in late November 2025; according to T-invariant, she learned of the criminal case on 5 December 2025. A phone and two laptops were seized. Until the verdict she was under a travel ban.

On 7 October 2026 the Gagarinsky District Court of Moscow found Rozenfeld guilty under Article 282.3(1) of the Russian Criminal Code (financing extremist activity) and sentenced her to 3 years and 6 months in a general-regime penal colony. The prosecution had asked for five years. She was taken into custody in the courtroom.