Overview
- The Kirovsky District Court in Yaroslavl on January 16 found literary scholar Evgeny Ermolin guilty under Administrative Code Article 20.33 and ordered a 5,000‑ruble fine.
- Authorities say the case stems from Ermolin distributing and storing Brīvā Universitāte materials on his Telegram channel.
- The Justice Ministry labeled the Latvia‑registered Brīvā Universitāte undesirable in 2023, and prosecutors allege its founders include Russians designated as foreign agents and that its faculty promotes groups deemed extremist.
- An initial protocol in Yaroslavl was returned to prosecutors for revision, and a subsequent filing to a Moscow district court was not considered before the local conviction.
- Ermolin previously taught for more than two decades at Yaroslavl’s pedagogical university and is reported to be living in Germany.