The FSB has again begun persecuting scientists who signed an anti-war letter in 2022.

Several former employees of St. Petersburg State University, the National Research University Higher School of Economics, and the European University сообщили T-invariant reported that their contract was refused renewal due to their inclusion on the "unreliable list." In 2022, they signed An open letter from Russian scientists and science journalists against the war with Ukraine, in addition, the names of some of them were included in the leaked data of Smart Voting users.

Conditions for leaving blacklists

To get off the blacklist, St. Petersburg State University employees are being asked to donate money to the "Defenders of the Fatherland" foundation or become lecturers for the "Knowledge" society.

A new wave of pressure and challenges to the FSB

Siberian and Ural scientists reported that they were summoned for questioning by FSB officers because they signed an anti-war letter. However, for over four years, signing the letter had had no consequences for them, so the FSB's new wave of interest came as a surprise.

After the letter was published in 2022, FSB officers en masse called Signatories were invited to the discussions. Many scientists were threatened with criminal charges, and some even had criminal cases brought against them. The overwhelming majority did not withdraw their signatures, despite the pressure and threats.