Claim of KBR activist against FSB left unsatisfied

Referring to some state secrets, the Nalchik City Court in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) has refused to satisfy the lawsuit lodged by Olga Begretova, an activist, who demanded to illegitimate the refusal of the FSB (Russian Federal Security Service) to provide the data collected about her. She intends to appeal against the refusal.

The above City Court has concluded that the FSB could not respond to Olga "without disclosing the information constituting a state or other secrets protected by law," the "Memorial" Centre for Human Rights Defence* has informed.

Olga herself believes that the court had approached the consideration of her claim formally.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 13, 2023, Olga Begretova complained about her forced fingerprinting at the airport. According to her story, border guards forced her to submit fingerprints and biological material, although these procedures are not required by the law. Investigators found no violations in border guards' actions. Begretova filed a complaint with the Pyatigorsk Military Court, but it also treated the border guards' actions as legal and refusal to investigate this incident.

Begretova noted that, according to the law, fingerprints must be given by the people who are unable to provide information about their identity for health reasons, those suspected or accused of committing a crime, and those, who have been arrested and have committed an offense, but whose identity cannot be established. Begretova has noted that she did not consent to fingerprinting; therefore the procedure was conducted illegally.

*As reported on the website of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the reason for including on March 1, 2024, the unregistered "Memorial" Centre for Human Rights Defence (CHRD) into the roster of foreign agents was the spread of "inaccurate information aimed at creating a negative image of the Russian Federation, as well as the Russian Armed Forces."