Azar Ilya Vilyamovich

On February 1, 2023, in Moscow, the Central Administrative District Investigation Department launched an investigation into the case of repeated “discrediting of the army” against journalist Ilya Azar. The reason for the investigation was Azar's Facebook post on June 3, 2022, timed to coincide with the 100th day since the start of the war. In it, he criticized the actions of the Russian army. Earlier, in June 2022, Ilya Azar was fined under an administrative offense article for discrediting the Russian army. The reason for initiating administrative proceedings against the journalist was also his post on Facebook. In May 2025, the journalist was declared wanted. The Moscow Prosecutor's Office initiated criminal proceedings against former municipal deputies involved in the activities of a foreign organization that had been declared undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation. ❗️It has been established that, by decision of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation, the activities of the foreign non-governmental organization “Deputies of Peaceful Russia” (Germany) have been recognized as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation, as they pose a threat to the foundations of the constitutional order of the Russian Federation, the country's defense capability, and state security. Following the results of the organization's second congress, held on October 26-27, 2024, in Berlin (Germany), former deputy of the Troparovo-Nikulino municipal district Igor Glek was elected co-chair of the organization, and former deputies of various municipal districts of Moscow Ilya Azar, Elena Rusakova, and Sergey Vlasov were elected as members of the Governing Council. ❗️Despite the official recognition of the activities of the organization Deputies of Peaceful Russia (Germany) as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation, being fully aware of this decision, Glek, Azar, Rusakova, and Vlasov, while outside the Russian Federation, organize and conduct activities aimed at preserving the organization's functionality, maintaining its structure, and coordinating its supporters. In addition, they distribute materials on the Internet covering economic, political, and social processes in the Russian Federation, which indicates deliberate actions to maintain the organization's presence in the country's information space and ensure its continued influence. 📃The materials of the Moscow Prosecutor's Office's investigation into the identified violations of criminal law have been sent to the investigative authority to decide on the criminal prosecution of Glek, Azar, Rusakova, and Vlasov under Part 3 of Article 284.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (carrying out activities of a foreign organization that has been declared undesirable in the Russian Federation). Their consideration is being monitored by the prosecutor's office. ____ On May 23, 2025, Ilya Azar and three other former deputies were requested to be arrested in absentia in the case of the “undesirable” association “Deputies of Peaceful Russia.” Motions for the arrest in absentia of former Moscow municipal deputies were filed with the Nikulinsky District Court of Moscow, Mediazona noted. In addition to Ilya Azar, the case also involves Elena Rusakova, Igor Glek, and Sergei Vlasov. All of them are being prosecuted under the article on organizing the work of an “undesirable organization” (part 3 of article 284.1 of the Criminal Code). Deputies of Peaceful Russia is an association of municipal deputies who opposed the war in Ukraine. In 2024, it was declared “undesirable.” On the morning of April 23, security forces conducted searches at the addresses of several members of the association in Moscow. In Moscow, relatives of members of the association of municipal deputies who opposed the war were searched. The case was initiated because the Prosecutor General's Office recognized the association “Deputies of Peaceful Russia” as “undesirable” (Article 284.1 of the Criminal Code). The state agencies RIA Novosti and TASS claim that searches are being conducted in the apartments of former municipal deputies Ilya Azar, Igor Glek, Galina Filchenko, and Nodari Khanashvili (RT also mentions Elena Rusakova). RT and REN TV published footage allegedly taken during the searches. They also quoted almost verbatim that members of the association participated in the anti-war march “Russia Against Putin” in Berlin on March 1, allegedly “together with the terrorist organization RDK” (the Russian Volunteer Corps fighting on the side of Ukraine). ___ Security forces came to the home of journalist Ilya Azar's mother, Larisa Yarkina, and took the wife of researcher Nodari Khanashvili, Polina, for questioning at the Nikulinskoe police station. ____ On the morning of April 23, security forces conducted searches at addresses associated with former Moscow municipal deputies Ilya Azar, Galina Filchenko, Nodari Khanashvili, and Igor Glek. According to TASS, the former municipal deputies are members of the association “Deputies of Peaceful Russia,” which has been declared “undesirable,” and the searches are being conducted in connection with the activities of the “undesirable” organization. Nodari Khanashvili's wife Polina was taken for questioning to the Nikulinskoe police station, according to OVD-Info, citing her son Mikhail. Ilya Azar confirmed to The Insider that searches had been carried out, but he knew nothing more. It later emerged that his mother had been questioned as a witness and released. Glek told Mediazona that, according to his information, his relatives had not been searched. At the same time, Russia Today and REN TV emphasize that members of the association allegedly participated in the anti-war march “Russia Against Putin” in Berlin “together with the terrorist organization RDK.” At the same time, as Mediazona found out, the Moscow courts did not authorize searches under the article on “undesirable” organizations in 2025. The last “batch” of eight such court decisions was in December 2024 in the Ostankinsky Court. But on the eve of the raids on April 21, the Basmanny Court approved ten searches under the article on “fakes.” It is quite possible that these are the ten figures or addresses involved in the case of the municipal deputies. In mid-March, the Moscow prosecutor's office demanded that a criminal case be opened against four members of the Deputies of Peaceful Russia association — former Moscow municipal deputies Azar, Glek, Elena Rusakova, and Sergei Vlasov — under the article on the work of an “undesirable” organization. “They're piling it on, they've got their sights set, it seems... A month ago, they recognized us as foreign agents, and now they're opening a criminal case for being undesirable,” Azar commented on the prosecutor's office's statement at the time. ___ A criminal case has been opened on the grounds of organizing the activities of a foreign non-governmental organization recognized as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation. The Nikulinsky Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigation Directorate for the Western Administrative District of the Main Investigation Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the city of Moscow has opened a criminal case against four former municipal deputies. They are suspected of committing a crime under Part 3 of Article 284.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organizing the activities of a foreign or international organization whose activities have been declared undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation). According to the investigation, no later than December 25, 2024, the four suspects, while outside the Russian Federation, published two articles on the Internet under their editorship with the aim of recruiting and involving new participants in the activities of an organization that has been declared undesirable on the territory of Russia. 🟥As part of the criminal investigation, investigators from the Moscow Investigative Committee, together with law enforcement operatives, conducted searches at the suspects' places of registration. The investigation is considering whether to issue a warrant for the suspects' arrest. ___ Security forces conduct searches at the homes of former Moscow deputies in connection with the “undesirable organization” case In Moscow, security forces are conducting searches at the apartments of former deputies Ilya Azar, Galina Filchenko, Nodari Khanashvili, and Igor Glek. Security forces also visited Azar's mother, Larisa Yarkina, and Glek's relatives. According to RT, criminal cases have been opened against Azar, Glek, and municipal deputies Elena Rusakova and Sergei Vlasov under the article on the activities of an undesirable organization. It is unknown whether searches are being conducted at Rusakova and Vlasov's homes. The cases against Azar and Glek are related to the activities of the association “Deputies of Peaceful Russia,” which has been recognized as an “undesirable organization.” According to RT, on March 1, the organization “together with the terrorist RDK” held a rally in Berlin demanding the “overthrow of the Russian government.” No information has been released about the cases against Filchenko and Kananashvili. Their status is unknown. The association “Deputies of Peaceful Russia” was created in Berlin in the fall of 2023. It includes more than 70 people elected to Russian parliaments at various levels since 2012. In August 2024, the Prosecutor General's Office recognized the association as an “undesirable organization.” Searches were conducted in the apartments of Galina Filchenko, Nodari Khanashvili, Ilya Azar's mother Larisa Yarkina, and Igor Glek's wife. 🟧 According to RT, criminal cases were opened against Azar, Glek, and municipal deputies Elena Rusakova and Sergei Vlasov under the article on the activities of an undesirable organization. Nothing is known about the searches at Rusakova and Vlasov's homes. 🟧The cases are related to the activities of the association “Deputies of Peaceful Russia,” which has been recognized as an “undesirable organization.” According to investigators, the suspects posted two publications no later than December 2024 “for the purpose of recruiting and involving new participants in the organization's activities.” 🟧The Moscow Investigative Committee confirmed the initiation of criminal proceedings against four people, but did not name the suspects. They are going to be put on the wanted list. 🟧Khanashvili's wife Polina Khanashvili, Larisa Yarkina, and Galina Filchenko were questioned as witnesses and released. 🟧Azar, Khanashvili, and Glek are outside Russia.