Yevgenia Konforkina. Photo: Novaya Gazeta Europe
A court in Moscow has sentenced an animal rights activist to 15 years in a penal colony for treason over alleged ties to a Ukrainian paramilitary unit made up of Russian citizens, Novaya Gazeta Europe has learned.
The court found Yevgenia Konforkina guilty of treason and involvement with a terrorist organisation. She was also fined 300,000 rubles (€3,200).
According to the indictment, Konforkina had gathered information on security procedures at a helicopter manufacturing plant near Moscow and filmed it at the request of the Freedom of Russia Legion. The court was told she had also submitted an application to join the group.
During the hearing, Konforkina acknowledged the facts of the case, but did not agree with their interpretation. She said that she had received an application form from a Ukrainian woman whom she had discussed animal matters with.
Konforkina also told the court that she did not know what the Freedom of Russia Legion was and believed it might have peaceful aims. Konforkina also said she thought that she was communicating with scammers, and did what they asked, as long as it wasn’t criminal, to see how far the interaction would go.
Shortly before sending the application form, Konforkina said that she had also been in contact with a man from the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, who made her feel guilty for having “done nothing all these years”.
“The motive for the crime I am charged with is sympathy for Nazism, Russophobia, but that is an inaccurate description,” Konforkina told the court. “What I felt was empathy.”
