themoscowtimes--2020-07-10--A Timeline of Russia’s Crackdown Since the Constitutional Reform Vote

The week since Russia adopted constitutional changes has been marked by a series of high-profile arrests and sentences for activists , journalists and government officials .
Here ’ s a look at some of the near-daily arrests , raids and other cases since the new Russian Constitution came into force following a week-long vote that ended on July 1 .
Mediazona photojournalist David Frenkel was hospitalized with a broken arm in St. Petersburg after a confrontation with police at a polling station during the vote .
Police and election monitors initially said they did not injure Frenkel despite video footage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ground .
RFE/RL and Ekho Moskvy radio journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva was convicted of publicly justifying terrorism in her column about a bombing attack that targeted the FSB security service in northern Russia in 2018 .
Prokopyeva , 40 , avoided jail time after an outcry among colleagues and activists but was found guilty and handed a $ 7,000 fine by a court in her native city of Pskov .
Former reporter Ivan Safronov , 30 , was arrested on suspicion of state treason two months after he left his decade-long journalism career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s space chief .
Colleagues and observers linked Safronov ’ s detention to his reporting on Russia ’ s defense matters and criticized investigators for not presenting any evidence .
Safronov faces a closed trial and up to 20 years in prison if found guilty .
LGBT activist Yulia Tsvetkova , 27 , said she is facing “ gay propaganda ” charges for the third time for posting images of a gay couple in response to a viral pro-constitutional changes ad depicting a dystopian future of gay adoptions .
Under the previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to six years in jail for posting drawings of vulvas and vaginas on her social media page dedicated to body positivity .
Governor of Russia ’ s Far Eastern Khabarovsk region Sergei Furgal , 50 , was arrested on suspicion of organizing murders of his former business partners in 2004-5 .
Analysts noted that Furgal , who handed the pro-Kremlin incumbent a rare defeat in 2018 , enjoyed greater popularity than Putin in his region and turnout at the constitutional vote was lower than average .
Furgal faces up to life in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two activists planning protests against the constitution next Wednesday .
Their detentions were part of a series of raids targeting the homes of journalists with exiled oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky ’ s MBKh Media news website and activists with his Open Russia pro-democracy movement .
Anti-Kremlin activist and Pussy Riot member Pyotr Verzilov has faced at least eight house searches since serving 15 days in jail on charges of public swearing between June 22 and July 6 .
Verzilov faces fresh charges of failing to declare his Canadian citizenship and has been assigned a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following his poisoning attempt in 2018 .

The week since Russia adopted constitutional changes has been marked by a series of high-profile arrests and sentences for activists, journalists and government officials.
Here’s a look at some of the near-daily arrests, raids and other cases since the new Russian Constitution came into force following a week-long vote that ended on July 1.
Broken arm, June 30
Mediazona photojournalist David Frenkel was hospitalized with a broken arm in St. Petersburg after a confrontation with police at a polling station during the vote.
Police and election monitors initially said they did not injure Frenkel despite video footage showing two officers knocking the journalist to the ground.
'Justifying terrorism,’ July 6
RFE/RL and Ekho Moskvy radio journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva was convicted of publicly justifying terrorism in her column about a bombing attack that targeted the FSB security service in northern Russia in 2018.
Prokopyeva, 40, avoided jail time after an outcry among colleagues and activists but was found guilty and handed a $7,000 fine by a court in her native city of Pskov.
Treason, July 7
Former reporter Ivan Safronov, 30, was arrested on suspicion of state treason two months after he left his decade-long journalism career and became a media adviser to Russia’s space chief.
Colleagues and observers linked Safronov’s detention to his reporting on Russia’s defense matters and criticized investigators for not presenting any evidence. Safronov faces a closed trial and up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.
Pornographic feminism, July 7
LGBT activist Yulia Tsvetkova, 27, said she is facing “gay propaganda” charges for the third time for posting images of a gay couple in response to a viral pro-constitutional changes ad depicting a dystopian future of gay adoptions.
Under the previous charges of spreading pornography, Tsvetkova faces up to six years in jail for posting drawings of vulvas and vaginas on her social media page dedicated to body positivity.
Murder Charges, July 9
Governor of Russia’s Far Eastern Khabarovsk region Sergei Furgal, 50, was arrested on suspicion of organizing murders of his former business partners in 2004-5.
Analysts noted that Furgal, who handed the pro-Kremlin incumbent a rare defeat in 2018, enjoyed greater popularity than Putin in his region and turnout at the constitutional vote was lower than average. Furgal faces up to life in prison on the charges.
Media and activist raids, July 9
Police detained two activists planning protests against the constitution next Wednesday.
Their detentions were part of a series of raids targeting the homes of journalists with exiled oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s MBKh Media news website and activists with his Open Russia pro-democracy movement.
Pussy Riot saga, June 22-July 9
Anti-Kremlin activist and Pussy Riot member Pyotr Verzilov has faced at least eight house searches since serving 15 days in jail on charges of public swearing between June 22 and July 6.
Verzilov faces fresh charges of failing to declare his Canadian citizenship and has been assigned a psychiatric evaluation as part of the case following his poisoning attempt in 2018.
AFP contributed reporting to this article.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-10--New Figures Suggest Russia’s Coronavirus Death Toll Underreported

Russia 's state statistics agency on Friday said at least 7,444 people died in May due to the coronavirus , a figure more than double that previously reported by the country 's health officials .
Russia came in for criticism in May when it was reporting very few deaths in comparison to other European countries .
Officials attributed the low figures to Russia 's rapid response to the pandemic .
The country 's health authorities , which have been giving daily figures since March , earlier said that 3,633 people died from the coronavirus in May .
However the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a delay , on Friday gave vastly different numbers for that month .
It said the coronavirus was either confirmed or assumed as the “ main cause of death ” for 7,444 people who died in May .
A further 5,008 people who had a coronavirus diagnosis died of other diseases , though the virus was the “ catalyst ” in the deaths of 1,530 in this group .
The agency said the total number of deaths this May was 172,914 across Russia , which was more than 18,000 greater than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Rosstat agency Pavel Malkov said the death rate increased by nearly 12 percent in May year on year .
“ The death rate increased in 55 regions , and the biggest increase was in regions that were first to face the coronavirus , ” he said in a televised briefing .
Deputy prime minister Tatyana Golikova conceded that the coronavirus was the “ main reason for the increase.
” Differences in figures have been explained by differing methodology , and the news on May data follows similar discrepancies in April data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use a different methodology which broadened the approach and included more deaths in the coronavirus figure .
Russia on Friday reported 713,936 cases of infection and 11,017 total deaths .
The country has been gradually lifting restrictions .
Moscow will open its cinemas and theatres on August 1 , mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .

Russia's state statistics agency on Friday said at least 7,444 people died in May due to the coronavirus, a figure more than double that previously reported by the country's health officials. Russia came in for criticism in May when it was reporting very few deaths in comparison to other European countries. Officials attributed the low figures to Russia's rapid response to the pandemic.
The country's health authorities, which have been giving daily figures since March, earlier said that 3,633 people died from the coronavirus in May. However the state statistics agency, which gives demographic data with a delay, on Friday gave vastly different numbers for that month. It said the coronavirus was either confirmed or assumed as the “main cause of death” for 7,444 people who died in May. A further 5,008 people who had a coronavirus diagnosis died of other diseases, though the virus was the “catalyst” in the deaths of 1,530 in this group. The agency said the total number of deaths this May was 172,914 across Russia, which was more than 18,000 greater than the same month last year.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia as of July 10. MT


themoscowtimes--2020-07-10--Russia Will Begin Lifting International Flight Restrictions

Flights will be permitted to countries where cases of the coronavirus do not exceed 40 per 100,000 people , where the average daily increase in new cases over the last 14 days is no higher than 1 % and where the current rate of transmission is less than one .
Russia will begin negotiations with other countries to restart international flights from July 15 , deputy prime minister Tatiana Golikova said Friday .
Russia cancelled international flights on March 27 , and only a handful of special repatriation flights have been taking passengers to and from Russia over the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flight routes would be based on the principle of reciprocity — meaning Russia will need to strike an agreement with each government to resume air travel .
Those arriving in Russia will need to have proof that they have tested negative for the coronavirus in the last 72 hours to be allowed entry , she added .
The EU , which reopened its borders on July 1 to visitors to 15 countries , is still officially closed to Russians .
No specific countries were proposed to be included in the first phase of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to draw up a list of eligible countries and to start negotiations on reopening flights .

Flights will be permitted to countries where cases of the coronavirus do not exceed 40 per 100,000 people, where the average daily increase in new cases over the last 14 days is no higher than 1% and where the current rate of transmission is less than one.
Russia will begin negotiations with other countries to restart international flights from July 15, deputy prime minister Tatiana Golikova said Friday.
Russia cancelled international flights on March 27, and only a handful of special repatriation flights have been taking passengers to and from Russia over the past three months.
Golikova said reopening of flight routes would be based on the principle of reciprocity — meaning Russia will need to strike an agreement with each government to resume air travel.
Those arriving in Russia will need to have proof that they have tested negative for the coronavirus in the last 72 hours to be allowed entry, she added.
The EU, which reopened its borders on July 1 to visitors to 15 countries, is still officially closed to Russians.
No specific countries were proposed to be included in the first phase of reopening. Golikova instructed various government departments to draw up a list of eligible countries and to start negotiations on reopening flights.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-10--Russia Fines LGBT Аctivist for 'Gay Propaganda' Drawings

A Russian court on Friday fined a LGBT activist 75,000 rubles ( $ 1,053 ) over `` propaganda '' drawings of gay families aimed at influencing minors .
A magistrate 's court in the far eastern city of Komsomolsk-On-Amur fined activist and artist Yulia Tsvetkova over social media posts of drawings , she told AFP .
One , called `` A family is where love is , '' shows gay couples with their children .
Others depict rainbow-colored cats and matryoshka dolls holding hands .
Tsvetkova posted on Facebook her testimony in court where she said the drawings were posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adults and marked 18+ .
The 27-year-old also faces a criminal trial for pornography over drawings of vaginas she posted online .
Her case has prompted international condemnation and protests in Russia .
If convicted , she would face up to six years in jail .
She spent months under house arrest over the pornography charge before being released in March .
The date of the trial has not been announced , Tsvetkova said .
She expects investigators to send case documents to prosecutors next week .
`` I 'm in an okay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight .
What else can I do ? ''
she told AFP .

A magistrate's court in the far eastern city of Komsomolsk-On-Amur fined activist and artist Yulia Tsvetkova over social media posts of drawings, she told AFP.
A Russian court on Friday fined a LGBT activist 75,000 rubles ($1,053) over "propaganda" drawings of gay families aimed at influencing minors.
One, called "A family is where love is," shows gay couples with their children. Others depict rainbow-colored cats and matryoshka dolls holding hands.
Tsvetkova posted on Facebook her testimony in court where she said the drawings were posted on a social media group aimed at adults and marked 18+.
The 27-year-old also faces a criminal trial for pornography over drawings of vaginas she posted online.
Her case has prompted international condemnation and protests in Russia. If convicted, she would face up to six years in jail.
She spent months under house arrest over the pornography charge before being released in March.
The date of the trial has not been announced, Tsvetkova said. She expects investigators to send case documents to prosecutors next week.
"I'm in an okay mood, in the mood for a fight. What else can I do?" she told AFP.
She was fined Friday on the basis of a hugely controversial law banning propaganda of "non-traditional" sexual relationships to minors — a euphemism for gay relationships.
"I've never seen anyone harmed by a drawing of smiling people," Tsvetkova said in court.
"You can't force anyone to change orientation through words or showing drawings of single-sex couples."
She said she would appeal.
The law signed by President Vladimir Putin in 2013 has been used by officials as grounds to ban numerous gay pride events but there have been relatively few prosecutions.
Tsvetkova has already been found guilty once under the law. She was fined 50,000 rubles in December for similar online posts.
This month she learned police had opened a third "propaganda" case against her over drawings she posted to protest against a new constitutional amendment outlawing gay marriage.
Russia this month added a phrase to its constitution saying that marriage is only between a man and a woman after a national vote, codifying the country's homophobic climate.
Putin this month mocked the US Embassy in Moscow for flying a rainbow flag to mark Pride month in June, saying that it showed "a certain something about the people who work there."


themoscowtimes--2020-07-10--Court Orders Detainment of Russian Governor Ahead of Murder Trial

A Moscow court on Friday ordered the governor of a Far Eastern region held for two months ahead of his @ @ @ @ @ sparked outrage from his party .
The head of Khabarovsk , Sergei Furgal , 50 @ @ @ @ @ on suspicion of ordering the murder of several businessmen 15 years ago .
A judge @ @ @ @ @ ruled that Furgal would be held in pre-trial detention until at least September 9 , @ @ @ @ @ Furgal pleaded not guilty and `` categorically and entirely rejects the charges , '' his @ @ @ @ @ agency TASS .
His arrest on Thursday caused an outcry from members of his nationalist-leaning @ @ @ @ @ whose outspoken leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky accused authorities of using `` Stalin-era methods '' .
The @ @ @ @ @ said Friday the comparisons were `` inappropriate '' and `` fundamentally wrong '' .
The @ @ @ @ @ major crimes , said Furgal was charged with ordering the murders and attempted murders of @ @ @ @ @ 2005 .

A Moscow court on Friday ordered the governor of a Far Eastern region held for two months ahead of his trial on murder charges that sparked outrage from his party.
The head of Khabarovsk, Sergei Furgal, 50, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of ordering the murder of several businessmen 15 years ago.
A judge in the Basmanny District Court ruled that Furgal would be held in pre-trial detention until at least September 9, a court spokesman said.
Furgal pleaded not guilty and "categorically and entirely rejects the charges," his lawyer Boris Kozhemyakin told news agency TASS.
His arrest on Thursday caused an outcry from members of his nationalist-leaning party, the LDPR, whose outspoken leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky accused authorities of using "Stalin-era methods".
The Kremlin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Friday the comparisons were "inappropriate" and "fundamentally wrong".
The Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said Furgal was charged with ordering the murders and attempted murders of several businessmen in 2004 and 2005.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-11--Giant Protests in Russia's Far East After Popular Governor's Arrest

Tens of thousands of protesters marched through the eastern Russian city of Khabarovsk on Saturday in support of a popular local governor arrested this week for allegedly ordering several murders .
A court in Moscow on Friday ruled to hold 50-year-old Sergei Furgal for two months pending trial for the murders of several businessmen 15 years ago , as he vehemently denied any involvement .
Furgal 's nationalist Liberal-Democratic Party has thrown its weight behind the governor , and on Saturday said some `` 35,000 people came out to the streets '' in Khabarovsk to protest his arrest .
Local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest in the history of Khabarovsk '' , saying the crowds temporarily blocked traffic as they walked through the city of over 600,000 .
Footage showed people shouting `` Freedom ! ''
`` Moscow go away ! ''
and `` Sergei Furgal is our choice '' as they walked .
Some held posters saying `` We are Sergei Furgal ! ''
The website put the number of protesters between 20 and 30,000 .
The local branch of supporters of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said the protest attracted up to 40 thousand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record for our region . ''
Smaller rallies were held in other cities in Khabarovsk region , reports said .
Popularly elected in 2018 , Furgal embarrassed the ruling United Russia party , securing 70 percent of the vote .
His sudden arrest came just days after President Vladimir Putin , who has been in power for two decades , won a landslide ballot on constitutional reforms that could allow him to extend his rule until 2036 .
Over 40,000 people have now signed a petition demanding Furgal 's release .

At least 10,000 protesters marched through the eastern Russian city of Khabarovsk Saturday in support of a popular local governor arrested this week for allegedly ordering several murders.
A court in Moscow on Friday ruled to hold 50-year-old Sergei Furgal for two months pending trial for the murders of several businessmen 15 years ago.
He vehemently denied any involvement.
Furgal's nationalist Liberal-Democratic Party has thrown its weight behind the governor, and on Saturday said "35,000 people came out to the streets" in Khabarovsk to protest his arrest.
But the rally, estimated by various sources to have involved between 10,000-40,000, was clearly fueled by broader anti-Kremlin sentiments too, with people chanting anti-Vladimir Putin slogans.
Local news website DVHab.ru called the rally "the biggest in the history of Khabarovsk," saying the crowds temporarily blocked traffic as they walked through the city of more than 600,000 inhabitants.
Footage showed people shouting "Freedom!" "Moscow go away!" and "Sergei Furgal is our choice" as they walked.
Some held posters saying "We are Sergei Furgal!" Others demanded that Furgal be flown back from Moscow and the charges investigated locally.
The website put the number of protesters between 20,000-30,000, while police estimated about half that, and local supporters of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny claimed a figure of up to 40,000.
Navalny and other Kremlin critics in Moscow cheered the turnout. "I'm proud of my compatriots who took to streets demanding fair elections, justice and their right to elect public officials," he wrote.
The demonstrations were unprecedented for almost any Russian city outside Moscow and St. Petersburg, and, though unauthorized, seemed peaceful and took place without police interference.
Smaller rallies were held in other cities in Khabarovsk region, reports said.
Popularly elected in 2018, Furgal embarrassed the ruling United Russia party, securing 70% of the vote.
His sudden arrest came just days after President Vladimir Putin — who has been in power for two decades — won a landslide ballot on constitutional reforms that could allow him to extend his rule until 2036.
Serving or former governors are often prosecuted in Russia. In the past decade, at least 10 governors have been sentenced to prison or are currently under arrest pending trial.
More than 40,000 people have now signed a petition demanding Furgal's release.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-11--Russia's Coronavirus Cases Surpass 720K

Russia's Coronavirus Cases Surpass 720K

Moscow lifted restrictions including compulsory travel passes on June 8 , a move welcomed by residents who rushed out to enjoy the streets and parks .
Many other regions lifted lockdown restrictions ahead of a July 1 national vote despite the pandemic .
Critics have cast doubt on Russia 's low official mortality rate and accused authorities of under-reporting to play down the scale of the crisis .
Russia attributes its lower virus death figures to mass testing which has identified many cases with mild or no coronavirus symptoms .
The Health Ministry is now adjusting how it reports numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ related to the virus even if the direct cause of death was another condition or the patient tested negative .
Former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin , a liberal politician known for his outspoken comments , said Russia 's health system requires more funds and modernization in many regions .
`` Medicine is significantly underfunded even according to the current norms and also it needs a serious overhaul , '' Kudrin , who heads the Audit Chamber that examines government spending , said in an interview with the state-run TASS state news agency .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and show these figures , '' he added .
Nevertheless the economist said Russia `` is not doing a bad job with the pandemic , '' crediting the role of the military , which has built emergency facilities .

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Russia's fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures.
Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on constitutional reforms that now allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036.
Both events were initially postponed due the epidemic.
Moscow opened cinemas and theaters on Aug. 1. In the capital, masks are mandatory in stores and on public transport but not in the streets.
Several institutes in Russia are working on a coronavirus vaccine.
The Russian Defense Ministry has said it developed a "safe" vaccine following clinical trials on a group of volunteers.
The trials are ongoing, and the Defense Ministry expects clinical trials to be fully completed in the coming weeks.
AFP contributed reporting to this article.