Russian human rights advocates appeal to the European Commission and the Council of Europe to block Alexey Moskalev’s extradition to Russia
Russian human rights organizations Memorial and OVD-Info sent a letter to the European Commission and the Council of Europe, in which they ask international authorities to pay attention to the persecution of Alexey Moskalev and his daughter, Masha, in Russia.
In particular, they asked the two European organizations to use all available means to prevent Alexey Moskalev’s extradition from Belarus, where he was arrested earlier this week, to Russia. Memorial emphasized that international authorities should seek to have Moskalev transferred to a third country where he will be safe.
The Moskalevs have been in trouble with the law since Masha Moskaleva drew an anti-war picture in her school art class in April 2022. Subsequently, Masha’s father, Alexey Moskalev, who was raising Masha alone, was investigated by the FSB and charged with “discrediting the army” because of some of his own social media posts. Moskalev escaped house arrest hours before he was sentenced to two years in prison, on March 28, but was apprehended and arrested in Belarus two days later.
