Moscow Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Foreign Agent Maria Maksakova
A Moscow court has granted a petition for the arrest of foreign agent Maria Maksakova in absentia, according to records from the Presnensky Court. The court's decision allows for her detention as part of a criminal case initiated against her for allegedly calling on Russians to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This case could result in a prison sentence of up to six years. Reports indicate that Maksakova made these statements during an interview with a Ukrainian media outlet and has been vocal against the Russian military operations, including posting critical content on her YouTube channel.
In addition to the criminal charges, Maksakova has faced financial issues in Russia, including two outstanding debts totaling 61.2 thousand rubles. The debts stem from non-payment of fines and other financial obligations, which have accrued additional charges due to late payments.
Other Arrests of Foreign Agents in Russia
On the same day, the Koptevsky District Court of Moscow also chose to detain environmental activist Evgenia Chirikova in absentia. Chirikova is charged with disseminating false information about the Russian Armed Forces and has been placed on the international wanted list. This follows a pattern of increasing legal actions against individuals labeled as foreign agents in Russia.
Moreover, on December 10, Yana Troyanova was similarly arrested in absentia after being accused of inciting hatred through her public statements. Troyanova's remarks, made during a YouTube interview, were deemed to incite hostility based on nationality, leading to her classification as a terrorist and extremist by Rosfinmonitoring.
Additionally, Tatyana Lazareva is facing charges related to justifying terrorism, with a criminal case registered against her following a linguistic analysis of her statements regarding Ukrainian drone strikes. She could face severe penalties, including fines or imprisonment, as the Russian government intensifies its crackdown on dissenting voices and those labeled as foreign agents.
