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Art: Sonya Vladimirova \/ Mediazona<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2nd Western District Military Court in Moscow sentenced Vyacheslav Lutor, a bank employee from St. Petersburg, to 10 years in prison. The charges against Lutor included treason, confidential collaboration with a foreign state\u2019s representative, and involvement with a terrorist organization\u2014stemming from his alleged attempt to join the Freedom of Russia Legion. Even though trials like this are typically held behind closed doors, Mediazona<\/em> was able to attend one of the court sessions this time. Last summer, a recruiter contacted Vyacheslav Lutor, enticing him with promises of a lucrative job, a substantial salary, and the opportunity to relocate abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0427\u0438\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u0440\u0443\u0441\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043c<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Vyacheslav Lutor, 33, was born and raised in Krasnoyarsk. In 2014, he graduated from the Krasnoyarsk branch of Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics, and Informatics. After graduating, Lutor worked as an economist within the local government sector. Subsequently, he transitioned to managerial roles in various companies specializing in real estate and trade. Lutor then relocated to St. Petersburg, where he started a job at the St. Petersburg Bank, as indicated on his private VKontakte page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vyacheslav Lutor, 33, was born and raised in Krasnoyarsk. In 2014, he graduated<\/a> from the local branch of Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics, and Informatics. After graduating, Lutor worked as an economist within the local government sector. Subsequently, he transitioned to managerial roles in various companies specializing in real estate and trade. Lutor then relocated to St. Petersburg, where he started a job at the St. Petersburg Bank,<\/em> as indicated<\/a> on his private VK<\/em> page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The case against Lutor first came to light last summer. On July 29, we found a report on the Lefortovo District Court of Moscow\u2019s website detailing Lutor\u2019s arrest. Initially, the report indicated that Lutor was accused of treason and involvement with a terrorist organization. However, as the investigation progressed, the charges evolved. The case was eventually transferred to the 2nd Western District Military Court, where Lutor faced three charges: attempted treason, confidential collaboration with a representative of a foreign state, and participation in a terrorist organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Historically, Article 275 of the Criminal Code, which deals with treason, was rarely applied. However, since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the scope of actions classified as treason has expanded significantly. Participating in the war on Ukraine\u2019s side, attempting to join Ukrainian forces, and even donating money to the Armed Forces of Ukraine are now often prosecuted as treason. Moreover, the Criminal Code was amended to include Article 275.1, which addresses \u201cconfidential collaboration\u201d with foreigners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2022, according to our data<\/a>, at least 107 individuals were charged with offenses such as treason (Article 275), espionage (Article 276), and collaboration with foreign states or organizations (Article 275.1). It\u2019s important to note that many of these cases are classified, which suggests that the actual number of those facing charges could be even higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the past year, the human rights project Perviy Otdel<\/em> reported<\/a> that courts received 63 new cases related to treason and 7 cases involving collaboration with foreigners. To date, verdicts have been reached in 37 of these cases, with all of them resulting in convictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Human rights defenders have noticed a significant change in the handling of treason cases in recent years. In the past, such cases were typically transferred to Moscow for consideration. However, in 2023, there has been a notable increase in regional courts processing these cases. We estimate that over 70% of treason-related cases are now being handled outside of Moscow, often in the same region where the alleged offense took place. Nonetheless, arrests in these cases usually still occur in the capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Evgeniy Smirnov, a Perviy Otdel <\/em>lawyer, individuals suspected of treason are often initially placed under administrative arrest on questionable grounds. This approach gives law enforcement agencies time to secure authorization for launching a high-profile case and to collect evidence from the suspect\u2019s phone or computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The case of Vyacheslav Lutor follows this pattern. On July 11, Lutor was first placed under administrative arrest for petty hooliganism, allegedly for using obscene language and causing a disturbance at the airport. Three days later, on July 14, he was again placed under administrative arrest, this time for disobeying a police officer. As a result, he was detained for 15 days for failing to provide his passport to law enforcement. Lutor was set to be released from jail on the same day he was transferred to a pre-trial detention center on criminal charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On February 5, the 2nd Western District Military Court began hearing the case against Vyacheslav Lutor. The prosecution is led by state prosecutors Igor Potapov and Dmitry Nadysev.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Typically, treason trials are held behind closed doors, with no public access to the proceedings. However, this time Mediazona<\/em> managed to attend the only open session of the trial. During this session, the court conducted video interviews with prosecution witnesses from St. Petersburg. The testimonies of Lutor\u2019s former colleagues revealed that Vyacheslav is accused of having ties to the Freedom of Russia Legion and attempting to leave the country to fight for Ukraine. Despite these allegations, Luthor asserts his innocence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lutor\u2019s former supervisor described her attitude towards her ex-employee as \u201cneutral.\u201d She recalled that last summer, Vyacheslav had requested leave from July 10 to July 19, stating \u201cfamily problems\u201d as the reason. However, investigators believe that Lutor planned to leave Russia during this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When questioned by prosecutor Nadysev, the defendant\u2019s former boss stated that she had never discussed politics or the war in Ukraine with him. When asked about Lutor\u2019s work attire, specifically if he preferred military-style clothing, the supervisor clarified that he typically wore shirts and trousers. Moreover, when defense attorney Yulia Kuznetsova inquired whether Lutor had ever mentioned the Freedom of Russia Legion or expressed a desire to join the war in Ukraine, the former supervisor denied any such occurrences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second witness, a colleague of Lutor\u2019s, testified that their interactions were mostly limited to work-related issues. However, she recounted an unexpected conversation with Vyacheslav in the summer of 2023, during which he shared his intentions to travel abroad and join the Freedom of Russia Legion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know what this organization was doing and didn\u2019t attach any importance to it,\u201d the witness stated. When questioned further by the defendant\u2019s attorney about whether Lutor informed her of his intention to participate in hostilities, the witness responded in the negative. However, she noted that the term \u201clegion\u201d raised concerns for her, suggesting potential connections with the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The colleague of the accused testified that Lutor had invited her to join him on the trip, an offer she declined. She recalled advising him against his plan, feeling skeptical about his resolve to go given his generally reserved demeanor. Subsequently, state prosecutors requested to read out the witness\u2019s prior testimony provided during the initial investigation, citing \u201csignificant contradictions\u201d with what she was saying at that moment. The defense attorney objected to this request. Throughout the proceedings, Lutor, a tall, short-haired man wearing a warm jacket, kept supporting his lawyer and offered very brief responses to the court\u2019s inquiries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The court decided to grant the prosecutors\u2019 request, and the testimony provided by the witness during the investigation was read aloud. In her initial testimony, the witness provided additional details regarding her correspondence with Lutor. She recounted Lutor\u2019s mention of being contacted by a representative of the Freedom of Russia Legion, who offered him a lucrative salary. Lutor allegedly explained the reason why he invited her, saying that the recruiter needed two people. Moreover, Lutor allegedly specified that his prospective work would be in the \u201cfront-line zone.\u201d He also asked her whether she knew anyone working at the Almaz-Antey military plant and warned her to stay away from it. Lutor confirmed that he wrote it to his colleague.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another colleague of Lutor’s, when questioned in court, had difficulty recalling the details of her conversations with Vyacheslav, except for him mentioning that he had been invited to work for the Freedom of Russia Legion. As a result, her initial testimony was read aloud in court. According to these earlier statements, Lutor told her at the end of June 2023 that while he was on sick leave, an organization approached him with a job offer in Poland. He then explained that his contact within the Legion urged him to leave Russia because of an \u201cimpending civil war.\u201d Lutor allegedly stated that he was being \u201cactively recruited\u201d by the Legion at that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On July 5, Lutor asked this colleague to \u201ckeep her fingers crossed for him so that he returns safe and sound.\u201d The witness described Vyacheslav as \u201cunpleasant,\u201d stating that she didn\u2019t take his words seriously and considered him unreliable. In court, Lutor admitted to sending these messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\nColleagues\u2019 Testimony<\/h2>\n\n\n\n