Terrorism charges led to the arrest of Boris Akunin in absentia.
A Russian court has ordered that Chkhartishvili, better known by his pen name Boris Akunin, be held in pretrial detention for two months, following his arrest[1].
In January 2024, the Russian Ministry of Justice designated Akunin as a foreign agent. This was followed by a warrant for his arrest under a section of the Russian Criminal Code[1].
The celebrated writer is accused of violating part "d" of article 207.3 (knowingly spreading false information about the use of the Russian Armed Forces) and part 2 of article 205.2 (public calls for terrorist activities, public justification of terrorism, or propaganda of terrorism)[1].
According to the Ministry of Justice, Akunin, who opposed the special operation in Ukraine, spread disinformation aimed at tarnishing Russia and its military's image, and participated in events to raise funds for the Armed Forces of Ukraine[1]. He is also accused of collaborating with foreign agents in creating and distributing materials[1].
Born in 1956 in Tbilisi, Georgia, Akunin gained fame for his crime novels, particularly those featuring the detective Erast Fandorin[5]. He currently resides in exile in London, having left Russia in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea[2].
Due to his vocal opposition to Russia's actions in Ukraine, a Moscow court has recently frozen his wife's bank accounts[2]. This, however, is not an arrest warrant but a reflection of the strained relationship between Akunin and the Russian government. As of now, there's no specific information on a warrant issued by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs[3].
[1] - A court has ruled that Chkhartishvili be held in pretrial detention for two months, starting from the moment of his arrest, a source told TASS. (Base Article)
[2] - This would not be an arrest warrant per se, but it reflects the tense relationship between Akunin and the Russian government. A recent development is the freezing of his wife's bank accounts by a Moscow court, likely due to his vocal opposition to Russia's actions in Ukraine. (Enrichment Data)
[3] - Regarding an arrest warrant issued by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, there is no specific information available in the provided search results. (Enrichment Data)
[4] - Boris Akunin, whose real name is Grigory Shalvovich Chkhartishvili, is a celebrated Russian writer and translator. (Enrichment Data)
[5] - Akunin lives in exile in London, having left Russia in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea. (Enrichment Data)
- The general news and politics sections of society have been abuzz with the arrest of Boris Akunin, a Russian writer charged under war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice sections of the Russian Criminal Code, following his vocal opposition to Russia's actions in Ukraine.
- As Akunin's case progresses, observers are keenly watching the war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice dimensions, as well as the broader impact on the freedom of speech and journalism within Russia, which many see as a reflection of the broader social and political climate.
