On the evening of May 23, 2022, Vladimir Yefimov was detained by the police near his home in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The politician was taken in for questioning to the local police department, where he learnt about the criminal case against him. He was charged under article 280.3, part 1 (“discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation”) for publishing critical posts in Facebook**. “To help the investigation”, the police searched Mr. Yefimov’s apartment and seized all of the technical equipment.

Having spent two days in a temporary holding facility Mr. Yefimov was released after being prohibited from using the internet and attending public events during the investigation. For his posts criticizing the “special operation” the journalist has already been fined 123,000 roubles in total. Now the 67-year-old Vladimir Yefimov is facing up to 3 years in prison.

Vladimir Yefimov is well-known in Kamchatka as a journalist and politician. Back during the Perestroyka era, he founded an independent TV company, “TVK”, which went off air in early 2000s. Since then he has been writing his own blog and has been engaged in politics. Since the beginning of the “special operation” Mr. Yefimov has published numerous critical and pacifist posts.

At the moment Vladimir and his family are raising money for the fines and legal services. You can help the regional opposition politician by sending money.