Civic activist and teacher from Kamchatka detained by police in her classroom
Three police officers in plain clothes entered the classroom at School No. 32 in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on September 19th. They interrupted the class and took teacher Vasilya Vershinina away. Along with her work as a teacher, Vershinina is involved in civic activism.
Blogger Alina Lushavina reports that the police initially intended to hold the teacher accountable for discrediting the army but eventually charged her with disobeying law enforcement officers. A court hearing is scheduled for August 20th. Lushavina mentions that someone previously threatened and intimidated the teacher on social media.
According to the local publication Kam24, Vershinina had voiced opposition to raising the retirement age, the construction of a tourist complex, universal COVID-19 vaccination, and the creation of settlements for Africans in Russia. On social media, the teacher published videos about rigged elections and called for the resignation of the Kamchatka government, advocating for a leader chosen by the people.
In December 2022, the police detained Nikita Tushkanov, a history teacher with anti-war views from Komi. He was charged with justifying terrorism for his post about an attack on the Crimean Bridge. In May, Nikita Tushkanov was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison.