A court in Russia's Far Eastern Region of Khabarovsk region on February 22 declared a movement supporting the region's imprisoned former governor, Sergei Furgal, as extremist. The court concluded that the We Are Furgal movement "is united by an extremist ideology" expressed by "inciting hatred toward authorities and the destruction of societal values." Furgal was sentenced to 22 years in prison in February 2023 after a jury convicted him of attempted murder and ordering two killings in 2004 and 2005, charges he has steadfastly denied. Furgal's arrest in 2020 sparked months of mass protests in the Khabarovsk region. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
Russian Movement Supporting Jailed Former Governor Declared Extremist
Protesters demand the release of the arrested governor of the Khabarovsk region, Sergei Furgal, in Khabarovsk, in August 2020.