Support The Moscow Times!

Treason Case Dropped Against Russian Mother of Seven Davydova

Svetlana Davydova Reuters

The high-profile case against a Russian woman accused of treason has been dropped, her lawyer said Friday.

"The case against Svetlana Davydova has been closed due to the lack of a crime. The accusations of state treason have been fully withdrawn," Ivan Pavlov wrote on his Facebook page.

Davydova was arrested in January on suspicion of treason for calling the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow last April to inform them that Russian troops stationed near her home in the Smolensk region town of Vyazma were leaving their barracks and could be on their way to fight in Ukraine.

The mother of seven spent 10 days in detention before being let out on conditional release amid a public outcry.

An expert analysis conducted as part of the investigation found that the information divulged to the Ukrainian embassy by Davydova did not qualify as a state secret and its disclosure did not threaten Russian national security, Kommersant newspaper reported.

Russia denies reports that any of its servicemen have been sent to fight in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.


… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more