In the weeks since the July verdict in Yury DMITRIEV’s trial we have learned more about the nature of the evidence and the tactics of the investigators and prosecution than in all the preceding months, from October 2018 and July 2020.

In “What We’ve Uncovered”, two long articles published in July by Novaya gazeta, Nikita Girin greatly expanded what we know about the background to the two trials.

After his acquittal on all but one symbolic charge in April 2018, Dmitriev asked his lawyer Victor Anufriev if that was the end of his ordeal. Anufriev warned that there was one more tactic that the prosecution might try. As we know now, this was to browbeat Natasha, his foster daughter, into giving evidence against him.

On Tuesday, a linguist who testified in court offered her impression of the texts and videos of  Natasha’s interrogation by investigator and psychologist. “Natasha held firm,” she concluded. “She did not utter one unnecessary word.” A translation of Irina Levontina’s interview with Zoya Svetova will appear on this website tomorrow.

17 September 2020

A Story for Natasha (2020)

An Animated Film by Sasha Kononova and Yury Mikhailin