Rostov activist Anastasia Shevchenko* was convicted of recruiting for the Azov Regiment**.
Anastasia Shevchenko* was sentenced in absentia to 17 years in prison. The reason for the sentence was a video in which Shevchenko* talked about donating to the Azov Party**.
As reported by Caucasian Knot, in early February 2025, the Russian Ministry of Justice added Rostov-on-Don activist Anastasia Shevchenko* to the register of foreign agents for participating as a respondent on information platforms provided by foreign media and distributing materials from foreign agents.
In 2021, a court sentenced Shevchenko* to four years of suspended imprisonment for collaborating with an undesirable organization. The court imposed a more lenient sentence than the prosecution had requested, but the suspended sentence also carries a number of restrictions, the activist noted. That same year, the court reduced Shevchenko's suspended sentence to three years. In 2022, Shevchenko* reported that she had moved to Vilnius with her children. On September 7, it was announced that Shevchenko had been added to the Ministry of Internal Affairs' wanted persons database. On December 20, a court in Rostov-on-Don commuted the suspended sentence previously given to the activist for collaborating with an undesirable organization to three years in prison. On February 6, the Rostov Regional Court reduced Shevchenko*'s prison sentence by one year.
The verdict was announced in the criminal case against Anastasia Nukzarievna Shevchenko, accused of organizing the financing of terrorism , the Southern District Military Court reported today on its Telegram channel.
According to the investigation and the court, Anastasia Shevchenko*, who was previously convicted of participating in the activities of a foreign organization, assisted terrorist activity.
On February 4, 2025, while in Vilnius, and on February 12, 2025 of the same year in Helsinki, Shevchenko* posted videos online calling for the collection of funds for The banned terrorist organization "Azov"**, as well as links to the organization's website with methods for transferring funds to the Ukrainian regiment, were also included.
"In accordance with the court's verdict, the defendant was found guilty and sentenced to a combined sentence of 17 years' imprisonment in a general regime penal colony," the court said.
The verdict has not yet entered into legal force and may be appealed by the parties to the Military Court of Appeals.
In comments to the verdict on her Telegram channel, Shevchenko* wrote that she "has violated and will continue to violate" and is awaiting two more verdicts: for ignoring a "foreign agency" and for participating in an undesirable organization.
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* added to the register of foreign agents.
** designated a terrorist organization, its activities are prohibited in Russia by a decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation
*** Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) is banned in Russia.