Another political activist under investigation for extremism has fled Russia

Ruslan Galiullin, a supporter of Vyacheslav Maltsev’s banned “Artpodgotovka” movement, has fled Russia, according to the website OVD-Info. Galiullin says he’s currently somewhere in Europe. Federal agents detained him on November 4 on suspicion of extremist activity and later released him, after he promised not to leave the country.

Vyacheslav Maltsev him has been living in exile since the summer of 2017. In late October, a Russian court convicted him in absentia of extremism and banned his political movement.

In November, dozens of Maltsev’s followers were detained throughout Russia, as the Artpodgotovka attempted to stage nationwide protests. Police have brought criminal charges against five other Maltsev supporters, as well.