A group of Russian lawyers and rights defenders known as Pervy Otdel (First Unit) said on November 8 that Rafail Shepelev, a member of the Artpodgotovka (Artillery Bombardment) movement, who disappeared last month in Georgia, may be in custody in Russia on terrorism charges. Russia labelled Artpodgotovka as extremist and banned it in 2017. Shepelev has resided in Georgia since 2021 and did not plan to return to Russia, Pervy Otdel said. Last week, another Russian activist, Lev Skoryakin, was discovered in a Moscow detention center after he went missing in Kyrgyzstan in October. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Echo of the Caucasus, click here.
