A Russian court recently sentenced eleven members of the “Soviet citizens” movement to imprisonment for extremism, after a trial that lasted almost two years. The group believes that the Soviet Union never ceased to exist and considers the Russian Federation illegitimate. Despite a previous ban on their activities, the defendants continued to hold meetings, distribute pamphlets, and evade taxes.
The group’s leaders were sentenced to six years in a penal colony, while their followers received two-year sentences. The movement, started by Sergey Taraskin in 2010, refuses to recognize Russia and insists on being citizens of the now-defunct Soviet Union. This defiance led to their refusal to comply with Russian laws, utility bills, and government officials’ authority.
Similar movements, like the “sovereign citizens” in the US, have also emerged elsewhere, challenging government authority. The sentencing of the “Soviet citizens” highlights the ongoing clash between modern governance and historical beliefs that some groups hold onto fervently.
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