The criminal case opened against Lida Moniava over an online comment about civilians killed in Russian attacks in Ukraine was dropped in Russia. Moniava's lawyer, Mikhail Biryukov, confirmed that a decision had been made to close the investigation file; the official notification of the decision was sent by mail.
Investigators concluded that there were no grounds to prosecute Moniava. She had been arrested on September 2 and accused of "spreading false information" about Russia's military activities. The charge carried a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
A rare outcome among anti-war cases
The dismissal of the case was a rare outcome amid the crackdown on anti-war statements in Russia. A February 2025 report by a rights organization recorded that just over 20 criminal cases involving anti-war content had been dismissed at various stages since the start of the full-scale attack on Ukraine.
Moniava's support group said the decision had not come about on its own and thanked those who attended the hearings, wrote letters in her defense and publicly expressed their support. The group also highlighted the presence at the hearings of hospice patients, some of whom use wheelchairs or depend on ventilators.
Lighthouse and foundation activities
Moniava founded Lighthouse, an organization serving children and young adults with serious illnesses in Moscow and the surrounding region. The case received broad support among the families of children cared for by the organization.
After Russia launched its full-scale attack on Ukraine in 2022, Moniava established a foundation to provide shelter, medical supplies and food to people fleeing the war. The foundation suspended its activities in 2025 because the number of asylum seekers arriving in Moscow and the surrounding region had declined.
Following her arrest on September 2, Moniava announced that she would step down as Lighthouse's head and leave the organization's board of directors. She said she would remain in Russia.
