Litreev Alexander

Litreev Alexander

Biography

Alexander Litreev is a native of the Leningrad Region.

Graduated from St. Petersburg State University of telecommunication of Bonch-Bruyevich and the University of Applied Sciences Kyumenlaakso (Finland).^[1]

In 2017 started own human rights project "Red Button" which allowed to notify human rights activists on illegal detention of oppositionists on meetings. In the application the notification of relatives and friends of the detainee and determination of police station to which carried the detainee is also configured.^[2]

In 2018 Alexander Litreev together with Artyom Tamoyan and Ilyyoy Andreyev registered Vee Security company which dealt with issues of confidentiality and data protection in Estonia.

Career

2020

the County from Russia to Estonia

At the end of August, 2020 it became known of Alexander Litreev's departure to Estonia. The founder of service of a bypass of blocking Vee Security told about it to online edition Znak.

According to the businessman, the last two years he was monitored by the staff of the Center for fight against extremism of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The official report about investigation and search operations is dated July, 2018 — when Roskomnadzor blocked Litreev's website telling about a bypass of blocking of Telegram.

The founder of service of a bypass of blocking Vee Security left Russia after initiation of proceedings about drugs

Staff of the Estonian consulate helped to leave Russia in the conditions of closure of borders to Litreev — documents were withdrawn from the entrepreneur on the case of drugs earlier. 

While I was in the pre-trial detention center, pressure by the staff of FSB, presumably, upon was put me. I was regularly invited to conversations to premises without means of video surveillance, asked a set of questions of my projects, political activity, communication with Alexei Navalny. They were interested in financing sources of my projects, my communications with EU countries and Ukraine — Litreev told.

In August, 2020 the Sverdlovsk regional court  sent for new trial case  Litreeva. In May the investigation asked court to close criminal case and to order to pay a fine to the creator of the human rights application "Red Button". As the defendant was not at a meeting at this time, the judge returned the petition to the investigator. The lawyer Litreeva Alexey Bushmakov appealed against this solution.

Charge claims that I intentionally hid documents on the residence permit (I received it in 2019), but in own resolutions refers to the fact that I showed the residence permit at intersection of border to public authorities. Crime is considered crime of small weight, but my criminal case is processed by the special investigator, and the progress of the case supervises directly the General Administration for Combating Extremism of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation from Moscow — the creator of "The red button" added.[3]

Arrest for ecstasy purchase

On February 25 Kommersant reported that the Leninsky district court of Yekaterinburg arrested the co-founder of the company on cyber security of Vee Security Alexander Litreev till April 22, 2020. Incriminate him purchase of drugs in a considerable size. According to law enforcement authorities, the programmer was delayed after acquisition through a tab of two tablets MDMA. Mister Litreev admitted the guilt, at the same time he asked court not to place it in the pre-trial detention center, claiming that he is not going to abscond.

The police delayed Alexander Litreev in the evening on February 22, 2020. As the programmer explained, he arrived to Yekaterinburg to the girl — the 19-year-old student with whom got acquainted in Instagram. Together they went to the place of a tab where took away two tablets MDMA. On the way back the programmer was delayed by police. According to the lawyer Alexey Bushmakov, law enforcement officers demanded from mister Litreev to unblock the phone and to show the data which are contained there. When the programmer refused, to him, according to the lawyer, the physical force was used: the detainee was tumbled down on the earth and at the same time tore his jacket.

Two tablets of ecstasy at the detainee found at a search in a sock.

Charge according to Part 1 of Article 228 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation is brought to mister Litreev (purchase of drugs of the considerable size). The girl who was with it at the time of detention gave evidences on the programmer, and she was released. The contents of these indications are unknown to the lawyer Bushmakov. However, the girl told local resources that Alexander suggested to purchase drugs, and in phone he had information on it.

The investigation required to arrest mister Litreev as it has no registration in Yekaterinburg, at the same time it has a residence permit in Estonia. At the same time in court there was an owner of the apartment at Yekaterinburg, ready to provide housing to the programmer in case of house arrest or recognizance not to leave.

Alexander Litreev asked not to imprison him in the pre-trial detention center. He told in court that he lives in St. Petersburg where helps mother who has problems with health. The programmer admitted the guilt.

I do not intend to abscond, I am not going to go to St. Petersburg. I am ready to hand over the international passport voluntarily not to have an opportunity now to leave Russia. History of my life shows that I am not a person who could pose a public threat. I have two higher educations, I the public figure who is often quoted in media in the field of cybersecurity. I am a member of commission of experts on protection of the Internet in the Russian Federation, told mister Litreev at a court session

The detainee also reported that he has problems with health. However the court considered that the programmer can really hide abroad, and satisfied the petition of the investigation for arrest of the defendant till April 22, 2020.

The lawyer Alexey Bushmakov reported that he will dispute a measure of restraint.

In our opinion, the judge illegally applied this measure — he explains — having considered that if there is no permanent registration in Russia, so it is necessary to send the person to the pre-trial detention center. But it is impossible to agree with it. The main thing — that the person lived in the territory of Russia. If he does business beyond its limits or has two passports, it is yet not an occasion to send it to the pre-trial detention center,

The defender also noted that he considers necessary mitigation of responsibility under the article of the Criminal Code which is incriminated to mister Litreev.

If the person took two tablets, he is not a drug user yet, just wanted to try. Punishment is disproportionate to action, considers mister Bushmakov

He also added that he does not exclude that detention of mister Litreev could be connected with his professional activity. The police, according to the lawyer, knew who the detainee and what is engaged in. Alexander Litreev is the founder of service for rendering a legal assistance delayed on meetings "The red button", the project on information storage about abuses of authority by different authorities "The Russian elephant" and also a krpny proxy for a bypass of blocking of Telegram and Vee Security VPN service. It is included into social movement of liberals for personal, economic and political freedoms Tea club.

Meanwhile the ex-mayor of Yekaterinburg Yevgeny Roizman who was one of founders of the City Without Drugs foundation does not support the idea about mitigation of punishment for acquisition of drugs.

All were warned by hundred times, saw drugs — run, drugs — death. The criminal code is verified. All know that for drugs tough terms are provided, it is difficult to drug addict to sit, and their reputation is lower than a plinth. All this exposes a certain barrier. If to raise image, to reduce terms, then the barrier will be indistinct. The country which does not want that traded in drugs cannot go to it. I do not see the reasons for which the position of the state can change in this question, said mister Roizman[4]

Notes