Lyubov Sobol
{{short description|Russian political and public figure, lawyer (born 1987)}}
{{family name hatnote|Eduardovna|Sobol|lang= Eastern Slavic}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Lyubov Sobol
| native_name = {{nobold|Любовь Соболь}}
| image = Ljubov Sobol.jpg
| caption = Sobol in 2023
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| office =
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| birth_name = Lyubov Eduardovna Fedenyova
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|9|13|df= y}}
| birth_place = Lobnya, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
| residence =
| nationality = Russian
| other_names =
| known_for =
| occupation = Lawyer, politician
| party = Russia of the Future
| otherparty =
| children =
| alma_mater = State Law Academy
Moscow State University Faculty of Law
| awards = BBC 100 Women (2019){{Cite news|accessdate= 16 October 2019|date= 16 October 2019|title= BBC 100 Women 2019: Who is on the list?|url= https://www.bbc.com/news/world-50042279|archive-date= 22 March 2023|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230322102002/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-50042279|url-status= live}}
| website = [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI4hEQc8mkuK2eMsew_MwTw Her YouTube channel]
| native_name_lang = ru
}}
Lyubov Eduardovna Sobol ({{langx|ru|Любо́вь Эдуа́рдовна Со́боль}}, née Fedenyova, {{lang|ru|Феденёва}}; born 13 September 1987) is a Russian opposition politician, lawyer and a member of the Russian Opposition Coordination Council (2012–2013).[http://www.interfax.ru/politics/txt.asp?id=272147 Координационный совет избран] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201195532/http://www.interfax.ru/politics/txt.asp?id=272147 |date=1 February 2014 }} (tr. "Coordinating Council elected ") // Interfax She produces the YouTube channel "Navalny Live" of Alexei Navalny.{{cite web |url= https://meduza.io/en/news/2020/11/05/court-marshals-search-alexey-navalny-s-moscow-offices |title= Court marshals search Alexey Navalny's Moscow offices |website= Meduza |date= 5 November 2020 |access-date= 10 November 2020 |archive-date= 10 November 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201110193448/https://meduza.io/en/news/2020/11/05/court-marshals-search-alexey-navalny-s-moscow-offices |url-status= live }}{{cite web |title= Без Навального: как ФБК работает без своего лидера |url= https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-54119390 |last= Зотова |first= Наталия |website= Би-би-си |date= 11 September 2020 |language= ru |trans-title= Without Navalny: how the FBK works without its leader |access-date= 10 November 2020 |archive-date= 11 September 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200911153353/https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-54119390 |url-status= live }} Sobol was a lawyer of the Anti-Corruption Foundation until its closure in 2021.{{Cite web|title=Выборы в Госдуму-2021: обзор главных событий 6 мая|trans-title=Elections to the State Duma-2021: an overview of the main events of May 6|url=http://actualcomment.ru/vybory-v-gosdumu-2021-obzor-glavnykh-sobytiy-6-maya-2105061628.html|access-date=2021-06-19|website=Актуальные комментарии|language=ru|archive-date=6 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506162256/http://actualcomment.ru/vybory-v-gosdumu-2021-obzor-glavnykh-sobytiy-6-maya-2105061628.html|url-status=live}}
Early life and education
Sobol was born on 13 September 1987 in Lobnya, Moscow Oblast, Russian SFSR. In 2004, she graduated from the gymnasium class of a secondary school with a silver medal, and entered the Institute of Jurisprudence of the State Law Academy in Moscow.{{Cite web|lang=ru|url=https://soboll.ru/biography|title=Биография|website=soboll.ru|access-date=2021-01-26|archive-date=2021-01-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122220244/https://soboll.ru/biography|url-status=live}} In parallel with her studies, she worked in the Presnensky District Court of Moscow as secretary of the court session and as an assistant to the judge. In 2006, she entered the Law Faculty of the Moscow State University graduating with honours in 2011.{{Cite web |url=http://www.moscow_city.vybory.izbirkom.ru/region/region/moscow_city?action=show&root=1&tvd=27720002327736&vrn=27720002327736®ion=77&global=&sub_region=0&prver=0&pronetvd=null&type=341&vibid=4774079144366 |title=Выборы депутатов Московской городской Думы седьмого созыва. Данные кандидата |access-date=2019-07-06 |archive-date=2021-02-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205055658/http://www.moscow_city.vybory.izbirkom.ru/region/region/moscow_city?action=show&root=1&tvd=27720002327736&vrn=27720002327736®ion=77&global=&sub_region=0&prver=0&pronetvd=null&type=341&vibid=4774079144366 |url-status=live }}
Politics and activism
In 2011 and 2012, she took part in various forms of civil-political activities, in opposition rallies, volunteer movement in Astrakhan and assistance to Krymsk, she was an observer at various levels of elections. Since March 2011, she has been a lawyer of the RosPil Project created by Alexei Navalny to fight corruption in the area of budget spending.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiG4G69FEQE Любовь Соболь о выборах, Никите Белых, ФБК и Кактусе] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190305185907/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiG4G69FEQE&gl=US&hl=en |date=5 March 2019 }} (tr. "Lyubov Sobol about the elections, Nikita Belykh, FBK and Cactus") www.youtube.com
That same year, Forbes Russian language edition awarded Lyubov Sobol seventh place in their 2011 ranking of "faces few know", recognising the year's most influential but still relatively unknown personalities.{{cite web |title=Главные герои 2011 года, которых мало кто знает в лицо. Любовь Соболь: юрист «РосПила» {{!}} Новости |trans-title=The main characters of 2011, which few people know by sight. Lyubov Sobol: lawyer at RosPil {{!}} News |url=https://www.forbes.ru/sobytiya-slideshow/lyudi/itogi-2011/77639-glavnye-geroi-2011-goda-kotoryh-malo-kto-znaet-v-litso?photo=7 |website=Forbes.ru |language=ru |date=22 December 2011 |access-date=26 July 2020 |archive-date=18 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918132738/https://www.forbes.ru/sobytiya-slideshow/lyudi/itogi-2011/77639-glavnye-geroi-2011-goda-kotoryh-malo-kto-znaet-v-litso?photo=7 |url-status=live }} On 22 October 2012, she was elected on the civil list to the Russian Opposition Coordination Council, receiving 25,270 votes on the civil list and taking the fifteenth place, ahead of such famous politicians as Boris Nemtsov and Sergey Udaltsov.
In March 2016, she announced her intention to run for election to the 7th convocation of the State Duma in the fall of 2016 from the majority district in the Central Administrative District of Moscow. On 24 May, she withdrew her candidacy.[https://www.gazeta.ru/politics/2016/05/24_a_8262779.shtml Оппозиция не поделила центр] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607103006/https://www.gazeta.ru/politics/2016/05/24_a_8262779.shtml |date=7 June 2019 }} (tr. "The opposition did not divide the center ") // Газета.Ru
In May 2018, she became a member of the Central Council of Alexei Navalny's political party Russia of the Future. In 2019, she again took part in the campaign for the election to the Moscow City Duma.[https://www.znak.com/2019-03-28/yurist_fbk_lyubov_sobol_zayavila_o_namerenii_uchastvovat_v_vyborah_v_mosgordumu Юрист ФБК Любовь Соболь заявила о намерении участвовать в выборах в Мосгордуму] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610183801/https://www.znak.com/2019-03-28/yurist_fbk_lyubov_sobol_zayavila_o_namerenii_uchastvovat_v_vyborah_v_mosgordumu |date=10 June 2019 }} (tr. "FBK lawyer Lyubov Sobol announced her intention to participate in the elections to the Moscow City Duma") znak.com On 2 September, she was detained by police after a protest on the weekend in Moscow.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-politics-protests-idUSKCN1VN239|title=Police detain Russian opposition activist after Moscow protest|date=2 September 2019|work=Reuters|access-date=3 September 2019|language=en|archive-date=3 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903084639/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-politics-protests-idUSKCN1VN239|url-status=live}}
She was included in the Leadership category by the BBC on its 2019 list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world.{{Cite news|date=16 October 2019|title=BBC 100 Women 2019: Who is on the list?|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-50042279|access-date=3 May 2020|archive-date=22 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322102002/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-50042279|url-status=live}}
On 21 December 2020, Sobol went to knock on the door of alleged FSB agent Konstantin Kudryavtsev (who had recently provided details about the poisoning of Alexei Navalny) but was detained by police for more than six hours. On 25 December 2020, Russian authorities raided Sobol's home, detained her, and opened a criminal investigation, alleging she had made an unlawful threat.{{cite news |title=Navalny says Russian police have raided home of ally pursuing novichok plot |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/25/navalny-says-russian-police-have-raided-home-of-ally-pursuing-novichok-plot |access-date=31 December 2020 |work=the Guardian |date=25 December 2020 |language=en |archive-date=31 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201231101102/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/25/navalny-says-russian-police-have-raided-home-of-ally-pursuing-novichok-plot |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|last=Presse|first=AFP-Agence France|title=Russia Opens Criminal Probe Into Navalny Ally Over 'Threat': Associate|url=https://www.barrons.com/news/russia-opens-criminal-probe-into-navalny-ally-over-threat-associate-01608881405|access-date=25 December 2020|website=www.barrons.com|language=en-US|archive-date=25 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201225114510/https://www.barrons.com/news/russia-opens-criminal-probe-into-navalny-ally-over-threat-associate-01608881405|url-status=live}} Sobol has denied the charges. If convicted, Sobol could face two to five years in prison.{{cite news |title=Navalny Associate Sobol Says Criminal Charges Against Her Are Kremlin's 'Revenge' |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/navalny-associate-sobol-says-criminal-charges-against-her-are-kremlin-s-revenge-/31021665.html |access-date=31 December 2020 |work=RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty |language=en |archive-date=31 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201231060340/https://www.rferl.org/a/navalny-associate-sobol-says-criminal-charges-against-her-are-kremlin-s-revenge-/31021665.html |url-status=live }}
On 23 January 2021 during a protest in Moscow opposing the arrest of Navalny, Sobol was grabbed and pulled away from an interview with reporters by multiple police officers.{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=24 January 2021|title=Alexei Navalny: 'More than 3,000 detained' in protests across Russia|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55778334|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220508172145/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55778334|archive-date=8 May 2022|access-date=|url-status=live}} On 3 August 2021, she was convicted of COVID-19 restrictions violations and sentenced to one year and a half of parole-like restrictions. Sobol calls the convictions as politically-motivated and nonsensical.{{cite news |title=Russian court restricts Navalny ally Sobol's freedoms for 18 months |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-finds-navalny-ally-sobol-guilty-breaching-covid-19-health-rules-2021-08-03/ |access-date=3 August 2021 |work=Reuters |date=3 August 2021 |archive-date=3 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803101429/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-finds-navalny-ally-sobol-guilty-breaching-covid-19-health-rules-2021-08-03/ |url-status=live }} The Russian police put out an arrest warrant for Sobol in October 2021.{{Cite news |title=Navalny Associate Sobol Added To Russia's Wanted List |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-navalny-sobol-wanted/31522481.html |access-date=2021-10-24 |newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |date=21 October 2021 |language=en |archive-date=24 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024115017/https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-navalny-sobol-wanted/31522481.html |url-status=live }}
File:Berlin demonstration after Navalny's murder asv2024-02-18 img11.jpg, 18 February 2024]]
Sobol released a statement on Alexei Navalny's death, reported on 16 February 2024, reminding the public that Navalny had been healthy prior to his 2020 poisoning, and that he had recovered his health in Germany prior to his arrest and confinement. She concluded that "we need Putin's regime to come to an end, and we should not be afraid to say this publicly."{{cite web|url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/statement-death-alexei-navalny-lyubov-sobol|title=Statement on the Death of Alexei Navalny from Lyubov Sobol|last=Sobol|first=Lyubov|website=Wilson Center|date=16 February 2024|access-date=17 February 2024|archive-date=17 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240217150602/https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/statement-death-alexei-navalny-lyubov-sobol|url-status=live}}
Personal life
On 8 August 2021, Sobol announced that she had divorced her husband.{{Cite news |title=СМИ: Любовь Соболь покинула Россию |trans-title=Media: Lyubov Sobol left Russia |language=ru |work=BBC News Русская служба |url=https://www.bbc.com/russian/news-58135817 |access-date=2021-08-08 |archive-date=10 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210205845/https://www.bbc.com/russian/news-58135817 |url-status=live }} On the same day, Russian media outlets reported that she had left Russia, having taken a flight from Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport to Turkey.{{Cite web|title="Интерфакс": Любовь Соболь уехала из России|trans-title=Interfax: Lyubov Sobol left Russia|url=https://meduza.io/news/2021/08/08/interfaks-lyubov-sobol-uehala-iz-rossii|access-date=2021-08-08|website=Meduza|language=ru|archive-date=8 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210808151635/https://meduza.io/news/2021/08/08/interfaks-lyubov-sobol-uehala-iz-rossii|url-status=live}}
Over May and June 2023, Sobol made a number of strange and out-of-character posts on Twitter.{{Cite web |title=Либералы решили, что Соболь сошла с ума |url=https://vz.ru/news/2023/5/23/1213279.html |access-date=2023-07-09 |website=ВЗГЛЯД.РУ |language=ru |archive-date=25 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240825103947/https://vk.com/share.php?act=count&url=https%3A%2F%2Fvz.ru%2Fnews%2F2023%2F5%2F23%2F1213279.html&index=0 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=«Доктор сказал в морг». Безумие Любови Соболь перестало приносить выгоду? |url=https://regnum.ru/opinion/3816695 |access-date=2024-01-17 |website=«Доктор сказал в морг». Безумие Любови Соболь перестало приносить выгоду? |language=ru}} Colleague and fellow opposition figure Maria Pevchikh commented that she was “shocked by the situation” and that Sobol had “serious mental problems”.
Honors and awards
Sobol was named a George F. Kennan Scholar by the Kennan Institute, a part of the Washington D.C.–based Wilson Center, for 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/lyubov-sobol-0|title=Lyubov Sobol|website=Wilson Center|access-date=17 February 2024|archive-date=17 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240217150602/https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/lyubov-sobol-0|url-status=live}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://rospil.info/ Роспил] — [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AlP8v5ccyxnkdDRJUnBVVzJWTkoyd0lyNWZWdGVvVWc&authkey=CI2P5agP&hl=ru&authkey=CI2P5agP#gid=0 Любовь Соболь]
- {{twitter|SobolLubov}}
- [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49205690 Lyubov Sobol: The woman driving Russia's opposition protests], BBC Reel, 20 November 2019
- [https://article.worldnews.com/view/2019/08/02/Russian_Protesters_Threatened_With_Jail_Sentences_On_Eve_Of_/ Russian Protesters Threatened With Jail Sentences On Eve Of Planned Rally In Moscow]
- [https://www.rferl.org/a/navalny-associate-sobol-says-criminal-charges-against-her-are-kremlin-s-revenge-/31021665.html RFE/RL coverage], including video of 25 December 2020 raid
{{Anti-Corruption Foundation}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sobol, Lyubov}}
Category:21st-century Russian women politicians
Category:Kutafin Moscow State Law University alumni
Category:Moscow State University alumni
Category:Anti-Corruption Foundation
Category:Russian women activists
Category:Russian whistleblowers
Category:Russian activists against the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Category:Political prisoners according to Memorial