Front Line welcomes the news that on 31 March 2010, the public prosecutor withdrew the case against human rights defender Anastasia Denisova, acknowledging serious discrepancies in the investigation relating to dates, locations, and the evidence against her.

Anastasia Denisova is the president of the Youth Group for Tolerance “ETHnICS” (YGT “ETHnICS”), a member of the Coordinating Council of the International Youth Human Rights Movement, an employee of Human Rights Centre “Memorial”, and co-coordinator of the ”Green Alternative” group in the region of Krasnodar. YGT “ETHnICS” monitors manifestations of xenophobia and the situation of ethnic minorities in the Krasnodar region.

On 12 January 2010, Anastasia Denisova was summoned to the Krasnodar Police Department of Internal Affairs where she was informed that criminal proceedings had been initiated against her in December 2009.

Anastasia Denisova was charged with the “illegal use of non-licensed software by a person in an official position” and the “creation of computer malware” under Article 146 part 3, paragraph D and Article 273 part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation respectively. The charges against Anastasia Denisova were based on the examination of computer equipment which does not belong to either Anastasia Denisova or YGT “ETHnICS”.

Original Front Line Appeal