Russian lawyer Leonid Krikun, who gained prominence by defending opposition and civil right activists in high-profile cases, has fled Russia, fearing for his safety. Krikun told the SOTA online media group on January 4 that he is currently outside of Russia in an unspecified country, adding that he had to leave the country "to avoid incarceration." Since Russia launched its ongoing unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February, many opposition activists, journalists, lawyers, and rights defenders fled the country fearing for their safety and freedom. To read the original story from RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
