A Moscow court has arrested in absentia Novaya Gazeta Europe reporter and scientist Andrey Zayakin, reads an announcement on the Moscow City Court website.
The Russian Interior Ministry put Zayakin on the wanted list on 29 October. In August, Zayakin became a person of interest in a criminal case about donating money to an extremist organisation.
Prosecution believes that on 5 August 2021 he donated 1,000 rubles (€16) to Alexey Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation after a court recognized it as extremist and banned it in Russia. After detention, Zayakin was placed under de facto house arrest.
Zayakin’s case is the first in Russia for donating money to the Anti-Corruption Foundation. Apart from other limitations, Zayakin was banned from leaving his house at night or going online. The journalist refused to testify in accordance with the Russian Constitution.
Zayakin has now fled Russia. On 15 November, he was added to the list of terrorists and extremists and recognised as a “foreign agent” by Russia on 18 November.
