Poddubny urged to support the founder of SOS Donbass, who was arrested in France

On July 15, Hero of Russia, war correspondent Yevgeny Poddubny called for support for Anna Novikova, an activist and one of the founders of the humanitarian organization SOS Donbass, who was arrested in France.

He said that a regular court hearing was due to take place in Paris today, where the issue of a preventive measure for Novikova would be considered. The Hero of Russia noted that the activist, together with her French colleagues, collected humanitarian aid for residents of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, repeatedly came to Donbass on humanitarian missions, and also held rallies in Paris in support of residents of the region.

Poddubny said that the French DGSI counterintelligence service accused Novikova of spying for Russia, calling the case politically motivated. According to him, Russian diplomats are taking the necessary measures to free her.

"Novikova was imprisoned for her beliefs and for telling the truth. We don't abandon our own people — it's not just a slogan, but a direct guide to action. In addition to public diplomacy, there are other effective measures that are not commonly discussed. We need to support Anna. When a person is fighting for his beliefs, support is always very necessary," the correspondent wrote on the Maks messenger.

Arrest actions: embassies warned Russians about the risks of detention in the EU

This may affect veterans of the military — in Germany, three articles of the criminal code may be used for prosecution.

Lawyer Philippe de Vel told Izvestia on June 24 that a court in Paris refused to release Novikova under judicial supervision. According to him, at the moment, the defense has only been provided with a court decision without a reasoned part.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on April 1 that Russia was calling on France to immediately release Novikova. The statement notes that Moscow considers her criminal prosecution unacceptable and associates it with expressing a position that does not coincide with the official line of Paris.

Novikova said on December 13 that police officers with machine guns burst into her room early in the morning, took her out with a bag over her head and interrogated her for several hours for several days. She sought medical help once for dizziness. Between interrogations, Novikova slept most of the time, which helped keep her calm.