Writers, historians and translators of St. Petersburg spoke up for Svetlana Prokopyeva

2020-7-5 16:48

PEN Club is an international human rights association founded in 1921. Initially, it included writers and poets, but it

PEN Club is an international human rights association founded in 1921. Initially, it included writers and poets, but it also includes journalists, historians, critics, translators, screenwriters, editors, bloggers, and publishers currently. The Pen Club's main sphere of activity is the protection of writers' rights, the fight against censorship, the fight for freedom of speech and personal freedom.

30 members of the Pen Club in St. Petersburg declared the case of Prokopyeva falsified. They noted that one of the main evidence in the case was a psychological and linguistic inspection allegedly performed by Khakass State University, although the University itself confirmed that its employees had not conducted such an inspection.

Those who have signed the declaration are sure that “nevertheless, the process is nearing its completion, and Svetlana Prokopyeva is facing jail just for doing her job. If this happens, the court system in Russia will be finally defaced.” They also believe that the case of Svetlana Prokopyeva not only puts independent Russian journalism at risk, but also the very right to think and speak without which a democratic society is impossible.

The case on the justification of terrorism was initiated against journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva from Pskov in February 2019. The reason was her radio program on the Echo of Moscow in Pskov Radio Station where she tried to analyze the motives of 17-year-old anarchist Mikhail Zhlobitsky who had organized a terrorist attack in the Arkhangelsk FSB Directorate's building in October 2018. On July 3, the Prosecutor's office demanded sentencing Prokopyeva to six years in prison and banning her from journalism for four years. Svetlana does not consider herself to be guilty: she said in court that she had not done anything that went beyond her professional duty. The OSCE, the International Press Institute, the HRC, the Trade Union and the Union of Journalists of Russia have already spoken up for Prokopyeva. Her sentence should be read out on July 6, at 12PM.

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