Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has apologized to a mother of seven who had been charged with high treason for phoning the Ukrainian embassy to warn about possible movements of Russian troops toward eastern Ukraine, her lawyer said.
Svetlana Davydova received an official letter from an assistant prosecutor on Thursday, “in which he on behalf of the state offers her an official apology for the harm inflicted as the result of criminal persecution on high treason charges,” lawyer Ivan Pavlov said, RIA Novosti reported.
The charges against Davydova were dropped on March 13, after a popular campaign in her support.
The 37-year-old had been accused of calling the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow in April 2014 after overhearing a soldier's conversation about troops from a military base near her home being sent to eastern Ukraine.
She was arrested in January, and released from jail to await trial at home the following month, after nearly 20,000 people signed a petition to free her.
After the case was dismissed, Davydova said that she would not seek compensation for her detention, according to Russian media reports.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
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 every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
