Activist Tatiana Polivanova detained in Sochi in criminal case

The police conducted a search at the home of activist Tatiana Polivanova in Sochi and took her to an IVS (temporary detention facility). The court is preparing to pronounce a pre-trial restriction measure with regard to the activist, accused of acting as an intermediary in the transfer of a bribe. The relatives of the activist associate the prosecution with the Tatiana Polivanova’s public activities.

After the search, which took place on the morning of June 4, Tatiana Polivanova was detained and taken to the IVS (temporary detention facility) in Matsesta, and on June 5, the Central District Court of Sochi will hold a hearing on the issue of the pre-trial restriction measure, the activist’s relatives told the “Caucasian Knot”.

At 6:30 a.m. in the morning, law enforcers came to the Tatiana Polivanova’s house. One of the activist’s sons, who stayed at home during the search, reported that the law enforcers seized a mobile phone, a PC, and banking cards. “They took away the PC and tried to seize my mobile phone, but I explained that I needed it for work,” Alexei Polivanov, the activist’s eldest son, told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

It was until 9:30 a.m. when no one from the family was allowed to contact their advocates. Then Tatiana Polivanova was taken to the Investigating Committee for an interrogation, and her defender was only allowed to visit her closer to 11:00 a.m. The activist’s sons reported that the interrogation of their mother lasted until 7:00 p.m., after which she was placed in the IVS (temporary detention facility) in Matsesta.

Tatiana Polivanova has been charged under the article on mediation in bribery (Part 2 of Article 291.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). According to the investigators’ version, in the period from late March to mid-May 2025, Tatiana Polivanova allegedly got 60,000 roubles from her acquaintance and transferred them to the officials whose names are not disclosed for their assistance in registering a land plot as a property. According to the case materials, the money was partially transferred to a banking card of the Tatiana Polivanova’s son and partially to a banking card of her friend.

The ruling issued by investigator Kashapov states that Tatiana Polivanova, using her “extensive connections” and her “official position” in the “Russian Association of Households and Land Users” public organization, transferred a bribe for assistance in providing a land plot for individual housing construction in the Lazarevsky District of Sochi. The activist’s sons and friends insist that they do not know the people mentioned in the case, emphasizing that the amount of 60,000 roubles looks dubious.

“This looks like a farce. The amount of 60,000 roubles is the price of a used smartphone, and not a bribe for a land plot in Sochi, where officials ask tens of millions for such a land plot,” activist’s son Alexei Polivanov emphasizes.

The family believes that the criminal case has been fabricated in retaliation for the Tatiana Polivanova’s active public activities. Earlier, the activist has already faced persecution and searches. Then, according to her son’s information, investigators found no evidence, and the court later ruled to pay Tatiana Polivanova a compensation for illegal persecution in the amount of 5000 roubles.

This was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 5, 2025 at 04:52 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.