July 8th had been a busy day for FSB, the Russian security service, as they carried searches in apartments of journalists and human rights activists in a dozen of locations in diffirent Russian regions. It appears that the whole action was connected to Pavel Andreev, founder of Revolt Center in Syktyvkar, Republic of Komi. On Tuesday morning, heavily armed and masked law enforcement operatives raided Revolt Center, later releasing their video; they also searched apartments of several people who took part in the Center’s seminars.
The FSB’s release heavily hinted at Andreev’s ties to NATO, further suggesting possible treason charges. Andreev currently resides in France, in relative safety. Darya Chernishova, the director of the Revolt Center now is under criminal investigation for supposed violation of Russian foreign agents legislations.
In Syktyvkar, the Revolt Center is named after Revolt Pimenov, the Soviet dissident who was exiled to Komi in 1971 for distributing anti-Soviet agitation. Having served his exile term, Pimenov, a mathematician by training, remained in Syktyvkar where during Gorbachev’s Perestroika he was able to head the local chapter of Memorial. In 1989, Pimenov greeted Sakharov, who was arriving to Syktyvkar in the course of the Duma’s election campaign.
Presently, Revolt Center remains closed, although its social media expressed hopes of re-opening in the near future.
