{"id":23055,"date":"2026-03-26T21:05:41","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T21:05:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/protect-lawyers.org\/case\/maria-bontsler\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T13:57:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T13:57:08","slug":"maria-bontsler","status":"publish","type":"listing","link":"https:\/\/protect-lawyers.org\/en\/case\/maria-bontsler\/","title":{"rendered":"Maria Bontsler"},"content":{"rendered":"

ALERT 26\/03\/2026<\/a>
\n ALERT 15\/07\/2025<\/a><\/p>\n

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<\/a>Russia: Charges against Maria Bontsler increased by Russian authorities<\/h2>\n

26 March 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

The OIAD is deeply concerned about the worsening of the charges against Ms Bontsler, who has been detained since May 2025. On March 5, 2026, the charges against the lawyer were reclassified from \u201cconfidential cooperation with a foreign state, international, or foreign organization\u201d to \u201chigh treason\u201d, an offence punishable by up to life imprisonment.<\/p>\n

This new charge supersedes the initial allegations, without any new evidence having been presented. The charges relate to the alleged correspondence found in her personal Telegram account with a supposed \u201cukrainian officer.\u201dLaw enforcement obtained access to this information by seizing the lawyer\u2019s phone, reportedly using physical force. This raises serious concerns about respect for professional confidentiality and the protection of the legal profession.<\/p>\n

The lawyer\u2019s living conditions since her detention remain a cause for concern. Ms Bontsler is reportedly subject to repeated pressure. As she suffers from high blood pressure, she is said not to have received the necessary medical care for her condition for an extended period, leading to a deterioration in her physical condition.<\/p>\n

Her defence team was given very little time to examine the case file. The case has been classified as confidential, allegedly because it contains \u201cinformation constituting a state secret\u201d, and her defence is not allowed to take notes or remove extracts from the file to work outside the designated examination room.<\/p>\n

The Observatory considers <\/strong>that these proceedings are part of the pressure exerted on lawyers by the Russian authorities.<\/p>\n

The Observatory points out that <\/strong>criminalising the very practice of the legal profession constitutes a serious breach of the independence of the defence and the right to a fair trial.<\/p>\n

The Observatory calls on the Russian authorities <\/strong>to ensure full respect for Ms Bontsler\u2019s fundamental rights, including her right to a fair trial, protection against ill-treatment and effective access to the medical care she requires.<\/p>\n

The Observatory calls for <\/strong>any allegations of torture to be subject to an independent and impartial investigation, and for evidence obtained under duress to be excluded from the proceedings.<\/p>\n

Finally, the Observatory reminds the Russian Federation <\/strong>of its obligations under international law, in particular the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment<\/strong><\/a> as wells as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights<\/strong><\/a>, which states in Article 14\u00a73<\/strong>: \u201c(\u2026) In the determination of any criminal charge against him, everyone shall be entitled to the following minimum guarantees, in full equality: (\u2026) (b) To have adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence and to communicate with counsel of his own choosing;<\/em> (\u2026)\u201d.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>Russia: Arrest and arbitrary detention of lawyer Maria Bontsler<\/h2>\n

15 July 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n

The OIAD strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest and alarming detention of Maria Bontsler, a 64-year-old Russian lawyer who has been held since 29 May 2025 in degrading conditions and deprived of urgent medical care<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Ms Bontsler is a prominent human rights defender and lawyer dealing with political cases. She was detained for \u2018confidential cooperation with a foreign state\u2019.<\/p>\n

The lawyer suffers from severe chronic hypertension and has no access to medical care, despite the acute deterioration of her health in detention. Shortly after being discharged from hospital, Ms Bontsler was reportedly manhandled during her arrest and did not receive sufficient food and water.<\/p>\n

Maria Bontsler is particularly known for her defence of political prisoner Igor Baryshnikov, who was sentenced to seven years in prison for \u2018disseminating fake news\u2019 linked to the war between Ukraine and Russia.<\/p>\n

Ms Bontsler faces up to eight years in prison for exercising her profession in full compliance with the rule of law. The charges against the lawyer are unfounded and represent a clear attack on the legal profession in Russia.<\/p>\n

Maria Bontsler\u2019s case is part of a broader crackdown on lawyers and human rights defenders in Russia, leveraging a legislative arsenal designed to silence any dissenting voices.<\/p>\n

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The Observatory condemns in the strongest terms<\/strong> the arbitrary arrest and detention of Maria Bontsler.<\/p>\n

The Observatory urges the Russian authorities<\/strong> to immediately and unconditionally release Ms Bontsler, drop all charges against her and guarantee her immediate access to appropriate medical care.<\/p>\n

The Observatory calls on the Russian Federation<\/strong> to comply with the international standards enacted by it in the field of fundamental rights, in particular to guarantee the prohibition of inhuman, cruel and degrading treatment, in accordance with the\u00a0Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment<\/a>, ratified by the Russian Federation in 1987.<\/p>\n

The OIAD calls on the Russian authorities<\/strong> to cease the prosecution of lawyers for exercising their profession.<\/p>\n

The OIAD reminds the Russian authorities<\/strong> of their obligations under the\u00a0United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers<\/a>, in particular\u00a0principles 16 and 18<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\u201cGovernments shall ensure that lawyers (a) are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference<\/em>;\u201d (Principle 16<\/strong>)<\/p>\n

\u201cLawyers shall not be identified with their clients or their clients\u2019 causes as a result of discharging their functions<\/em>.\u201d (Principle 18<\/strong>)<\/p>\n

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