Luiz 4,253 Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/03/petition-putin-free-russian-svetlana-davydova-treason Svetlana Davydova faces up to 20 years in prison on accusations that she called the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow in April to warn that Russian special forces were being deployed to eastern Ukraine. She was detained at her home in the Smokensk region on 21 January and placed in pre-trial detention for two months in Moscow’s high-security Lefortovo prison. On Tuesday evening, investigators unexpectedly said they would release Davydova on condition that she remained in her home city of Vyazma, her lawyers told the media. The Kremlin has denied sending troops to aid pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 29,000 people had signed a petition posted on Saturday to the website of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, and more than 28,000 had signed the same letter on Change.org. A copy of the letter was submitted to the presidential administration . The petition argues that Davydova should be placed under house arrest because she does not pose a safety or flight risk and does not have a passport to travel abroad. It also points out that she is the mother of seven children, including a two-month-old, whom she is still breast-feeding. “Not long ago you performed a humanitarian act for a longtime opponent,†the letter reads, referring to Putin’s decision to pardon oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky after 10 years in prison on the grounds that his mother’s health was worsening. “Today seven young children are waiting at home for a woman who is in Lefortovo prison, in a difficult situation.†I disapprove of what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Didymus 34,380 Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 I hope the petition works out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luiz 4,253 Posted February 5, 2015 Author Share Posted February 5, 2015 The story is that she overheard some military guy on a bus talking about their relocation to Rostov region, possibly (as he wasn't sure himself) to further be deployed to Ukraine. After that she called the Ukranian embassy about the possible deployment of russian forces. So, technically, the detention by the authorities (which, by the way, happened almost a year after the fact - as the call was placed last April) is not about admitting that russian forces were in fact deployed in Ukraine, it's about her providing an information about the internal movement of military forces to a foreign state - which could be classified as an act of treason depending on how you look at it. ^ something posted on reddit. I disapprove of what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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