15 days for "silent protest": the public stood up for activist Daria Serenko

She was found guilty of demonstrating extremist symbols (Part 1 of Article 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses).

The post that prompted the protocol was published in September 2021. It told about the candidate for the elections to the State Duma from the party "United Russia" Tatyana Butskaya. The top left corner of the photo attached to the post shows a red exclamation mark in the voting box.

In connection with this event, Russian human rights activists of the St. Petersburg PEN Club and PEN-Moscow published an appeal:

Writer, poet, journalist of Novaya Gazeta, public figure Daria Serenko was arrested in Moscow for 15 days. She is charged with 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (public demonstration of the symbols of an extremist organization) for a post about the elections of September 14, 2021 on Instagram: law enforcement officers saw the emblem of "Smart Voting" in the photo. As Darya’s defender, Pyotr Khromov, comments on the situation, “The symbols of the UG are not prohibited: the court, having liquidated Navalny’s structures ( recognized as a member of an extremist organization banned in the Russian Federation ), did not evaluate the activities of Smart Voting in the decision. There is no composition of an administrative offense and the case should be dismissed”.

We demand an immediate end to the persecution and release of our Moscow colleague, a journalist and writer, the annulment of the decision of the court of the previous instance and the release of Daria Serenko. We consider it unacceptable in the 21st century to persecute a person for indifference and active citizenship.”

Journalist Anna Narinskaya writes about what Daria Serenko did and about the prospects for Russian activism in her blog:

“I must say that Dasha is a person who truly delighted me several times.

I admired her "Silent picket" - it was a project that, in times of general hysteria, normalized the conversation as a process, inviting people to discuss important and sometimes taboo topics.

I admired what she and her friends did at the Peresvetov Lane Gallery (from where they were quickly expelled). By the way, the discussion of the memory of the repressions was one of the best general conversations in years. A conversation that unites, not divides.

I admired her action of solidarity with the protesters in Belarus. This white chain on Pokrovka was perhaps the last joyful note in the protest movement.

And Dasha is certainly not about some violent, forceful gestures. She was even reproached for the “quietness” of her picket.

And so I think - what is the message of her current 15-day imprisonment? Well, except for another presentation of cruelty and lawlessness?

And the message is clear - be silent. Sit quietly. And it doesn’t matter if you are calling for something there (we will always hang this on you), or just talking about something important. Dasha's activism has always been aimed at understanding people, talking with them, involving them in a certain circle of thoughts. And this is punishable today..."

Activist Natalia Vinokurova makes an important addition to these conclusions:

“Do you think it’s about specific actions? I have a feeling that, as a whole, they imprison us “according to concepts”, declare a foreign agent in aggregate, and in this case they are persecuted not for this or that action, and not even for activity in aggregate, but simply for activism under the guise of feminism. Feminism has long been de facto declared a hostile ideology, feminists are persecuted by ultra-right groups close to the security forces. and which of the feminists is specifically busy with, most likely, neither the security forces nor the paramilitares of the domestic spill are particularly in the know ... "