Law Enforcement Conducted a Search and Seizure at the Home of IStories Editor-in-Chief’s Parents

The Department of Investigative Committee (IC) of the Magadan Oblast initiated a criminal case under the article on “evasion of duties of a foreign agent” against Alesya Marokhovskaya, the IStories editor-in-chief. The investigator notified Alesya by sending a copy of the order by Telegram. 

For the investigation, the investigator was seconded to the department for investigating high-priority cases involving cybercrimes and crimes in the field of high technology, according to the order.

Marokhovskaya is accused of having “willfully and unlawfully” failed to provide the Ministry of Justice with the reports required by the law on “foreign agents” in the summer and fall of 2024. The journalist was included in the register of “foreign agents” back in August 2021 and since then she has been fined twice under the administrative article for violation of the procedure for “foreign agent” activities. 

Under the new criminal article, Marokhovskaya could face up to two years in prison. The investigator contacted the journalist on Telegram and tried to convince her to come to Russia, as then “it is guaranteed to end, most likely, with a fine.” Otherwise, he promised to put her on a wanted list. 

Early Thursday morning investigators searched the home of Marokhovskaya’s parents in Magadan. They immediately seized their cell phones and prevented them from waiting for a lawyer. During the search, they also seized all the electronics from the house. The investigator also tried to convince Marokhovskaya’s parents that their daughter should return to Russia. After the search, Marokhovskaya’s mother was taken to the IC for interrogation.

• In October 2024, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that Russia had violated the provisions of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms by recognizing the IStories journalists and the publication itself as “foreign agents.” Alesya Marokhovskaya and Irina Dolinina were awarded compensation of 10 thousand euros each, while the IStories founder and former editor-in-chief Roman Anin was awarded 15 thousand euros.