Lyubov Sobol
Lyubov Sobol, born 1987, Moscow. Charges: Article 207.3 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Dissemination of false information about the RF Armed Forces, government agencies or mercenaries…); “The case of Ivan Zhdanov, Ruslan Shaveddinov, Leonid Volkov and Lyubov Sobol”, opened on August 8, 2022. Previously convicted under Article 236 part 1, Russian Criminal Code; Article 236 part 1 applied with Article 33 part 4, Russian Criminal Code; Article 139 part 2, Russian Criminal Code. Status: not in Russia. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted on political grounds, November 1, 2021; Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, February 24, 2021.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow, Murmansk · Politicians · Anti-war cases, Extremism cases, Cases against "foreign agents", Cases against Navalny/ACF supporters, Cases related to mass actions
Sentence
5 months
Five months and twenty-six days' imprisonment in a general regime colony
First instance, August 2, 2021: One year six months imprisonment
Other verdicts
- June 8, 2022 — Four months' imprisonment in a general regime colony
Charges
- Article 159 part 4, Russian Criminal Code — Fraud (committed by a group, on an especially large scale or with deprivation of the right to housing)
- Article 282.1 part 3, Russian Criminal Code — Establishment and management of an extremist community using an official position
- Article 128.1 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code — Defamation
- Article 207.3 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Dissemination of false information about the RF Armed Forces, government agencies or mercenaries (using official position, by a group of people, falsifying evidence, for selfish reasons or motivated by hatred)
- Article 236 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Violation of sanitary and epidemiological regulations (resulting in a mass disease or posing such a threat)
- Article 236 part 1 applied with Article 33 part 4, Russian Criminal Code — Incitement to violate sanitary and epidemiological regulations (resulting in a mass illness or posing such a threat)
- Article 139 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, she incited the violation of sanitary and epidemiological rules in connection with the rally in support of Alexei Navalny on 23 January.
Latest event
August 8, 2022 — criminal case opened
The case of Ivan Zhdanov, Ruslan Shaveddinov, Leonid Volkov and Lyubov Sobol
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted on political grounds — Memorial Human Rights Centre, November 1, 2021
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, February 24, 2021
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial Human Rights Centre, February 9, 2021
Timeline
· Criminal case opened
The case of Ivan Zhdanov, Ruslan Shaveddinov, Leonid Volkov and Lyubov Sobol
· First-instance verdict
sentence changed
· Added to the register of “foreign agents”
· First-instance verdict
sentence changed
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution ends
· Recognised as persecuted on political grounds
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Criminal case opened
Lubov Sobol's libel case
· Criminal case opened
The case of an extremist community led by Navalny
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· Preventive measure: ban on certain activities
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Preventive measure: house arrest
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
TDF No. 1 of the Main Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Moscow
· Criminal case opened
The case of Lubov Sobol
· Criminal case opened
Lubov Sobol's case of breaking into another person's home
· Persecution begins
Navalny's associates' fraud case
Criminal case
The case of an extremist community led by Navalny
- Case number
- 01-0333/2021
Other defendants in the case
- Georgy Alburov — Not in Russia
- Sergey Bespalov — Not in Russia
- Alexey Vorsin — Not in Russia
- Vyacheslav Gimadi — Location unknown
- Violetta Grudina — Not in Russia
- Ivan Zhdanov — Not in Russia
- Stanislav Kalinichenko — Location unknown
- Roman Rubanov — Not in Russia
- Andrey Fateyev — Location unknown
- Ruslan Shaveddinov — Not in Russia
- Olga Shkolina — Location unknown
Thematic group: The case of the extremist community led by Navalny
Lubov Sobol's libel case
The case of Ivan Zhdanov, Ruslan Shaveddinov, Leonid Volkov and Lyubov Sobol
Other defendants in the case
- Ivan Zhdanov — Not in Russia
- Ruslan Shaveddinov — Not in Russia
Thematic group: Anti-war case; Beautiful Russia case
The case of Lubov Sobol
Thematic group: Palace case; Sanitary case
Navalny's associates' fraud case
Other defendants in the case
- Ivan Zhdanov — Not in Russia
- Roman Rubanov — Not in Russia
Thematic group: Alexei Navalny's case of fraud and contempt of court
Lubov Sobol's case of breaking into another person's home
Details and sources
Full summary
Former lawyer of the Anti-Corruption Foundation, including the RosPil project, producer of the Navalny LIVE channel, graduate of Moscow State University Law School. Author of investigations into anti-icing chemicals, the Vostochny cosmodrome and the mass poisoning of children in Moscow kindergartens. She has announced her nomination to the State Duma (lower house of Russian parliament).
On 21st December 2020, detained near the home of an FSB officer Konstantin Kudryavtsev, whom Alexei Navalny accused of involvement in his own poisoning. On December 23, she was fined one thousand rubles under the administrative article on disobedience to the lawful demands of police officers. On December 25, Sobol's home was searched, after which she was interrogated as part of a criminal case on violation of inviolability of the property with threat of violence. On April 5, during the trial in the case, the court removed Sobol from the courtroom until the end of the debate. However, the court did not prevent Sobol from participating in the sessions. On April 15, Sobol was sentenced to one year of correctional labour on probation. 27th of May, the court of appeal returned the case to the court of first instance for elimination of procedural violations. On June 8 the decision was left unchanged. In November, the Federal Penitentiary Service demanded to replace the suspended sentence with a real one. On December 2nd the court satisfied the submission of the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN). On 8 June 2022, the same court replaced correctional labour with four months of imprisonment.
On 27 January 2021, she was detained in a criminal case on violation of sanitary and epidemiological rules, her flat was searched. On January 29, the court sent Sobol under house arrest. Later she was charged with incitement to violate the rules. On April 7, a preventive measure in the form of a ban on certain actions was chosen. On August 3rd she was sentenced to one and a half years of restriction of freedom. A few days later it became known that Sobol left Russia. In October, she was declared wanted. On 14 April 2022, the court changed her remaining sentence of five months and 26 days to imprisonment.
In September 2021, it became known that a case of extremist community activity had been opened against Sobol and other Navalny supporters. In October, it was reported that this case was merged with cases of money laundry, involvement of minors in dangerous activities, financing of extremist activities and establishment of a non-profit organisation infringing on the personality and rights of citizens. She was arrested in absentia in May 2022.
In October 2021, it was reported that a libel case was brought against Sobol because of a video about businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin.
In May 2022 she was included in the register of "foreign agents".
In August 2022, it became known that a case was brought against Sobol for spreading “deliberately false information” about the Russian Armed Forces.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- Preventive measures
- arrest in absentia
- Persecution episodes
- 6
Other people prosecuted under Article 128.1 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.