Rights defender Legkobitov treats his criminal prosecution as intimidation attempt

The criminal case against the human rights defender from Yessentuki, Georgy Legkobitov, accused of slandering an officer of the FSB (Russian Federal Security Service), was opened after his statement about violations in the case of his son Sergey, who was convicted in a bribery case.

On March 4, law enforcers conducted a search at Georgy Legkobitov’s home, who is involved, among other things, in the protection of specially protected natural areas and natural monuments. A search was also conducted at Ekaterina Kuznetsova, a lawyer.

"The new criminal case has to do with Georgy's statement that in the case of his son, Sergey Legkobitov, there are no materials on the basis of which the case was opened ... This was assessed as slander," Ekaterina Kuznetsova has explained.

In this case, Georgy Legkobitov has the status of a suspect, and Kuznetsova is a witness.

"I believe that this case is connected with Georgy's activities in defending his son, against whom a case was opened without any justified facts. This has to do with Georgy's  professional activities," she has noted, adding that law enforcers made a mistake with her address and came to someone else's house, but this did not stop them.

"They turned everything upside down, even looked under mattresses in another house. They took away all the equipment and telephones ... and left," she said.

Georgy Legkobitov believes this case is an intimidation attempt.