The designation of the movement I/WE Sergei Furgal as extremist and its ban in Russia was announced by official authorities in the Khabarovsk region. The Prosecutor’s Office of the Khabarovsk Territory reported this development and outlined the legal steps underway.
A lawsuit was filed in the Khabarovsk Regional Court seeking to recognize the interregional popular movement I/WE Sergei Furgal as an extremist organization and to prohibit its activities within the country. The court hearing was scheduled for February 22 and has since taken place.
On the prosecutor’s website, the following assertion is stated: the movement, operating under the guise of defending and supporting the former governor of the region, has been identified as engaging in extremist activities. This characterization emphasizes that the movement claims to protect certain political figures while pursuing actions viewed by authorities as aimed at destabilizing public order.
The core claim presented by prosecutors is that the movement rests on an extremist ideology that promotes hatred and hostility toward state institutions. It is described as seeking to undermine the legal foundations and shared values of society, with the stated objective of creating conditions that would alter the constitutional framework of the Russian Federation and potentially influence political power through coercive means.
Sergei Furgal, the former governor of the Khabarovsk Territory, did not admit guilt in the criminal cases filed against him. Following his arrest in the summer of 2021, demonstrations emerged in Khabarovsk, including rallies associated with the I/WE Sergei Furgal movement. A related demonstration with a similar purpose also took place in Moscow in solidarity with a imprisoned journalist, which drew national attention to the broader context of political activism in Russia.
Approximately a year prior, Furgal faced a direct sentence in connection with charges related to his activities, and he was sentenced to a lengthy term in a maximum-security facility. At present, the Moscow judiciary is reviewing a second case involving the former official, concerning alleged theft of assets from SME Bank. The case trajectory reflects ongoing legal proceedings that continue to generate public and political discussion across multiple regions.
In recent public statements, the authorities have urged cautious optimism and have emphasized adherence to the rule of law and due process in handling cases tied to political figures and movements. This stance underscores the tension that can arise between social movements, legal processes, and political narratives within the country’s evolving legal landscape. The official communications also stress the importance of maintaining societal stability and protecting constitutional order while ensuring transparency in court proceedings.