Prosecutors in the Russian city of Omsk have summoned Tatyana Schneider, head of the regional branch of the opposition Yabloko party, to give an explanation in an administrative case concerning incitement to hatred or enmity. The case stems from a comment allegedly posted on VKontakte in 2011. Schneider denies writing it.
Yabloko announced the latest summons on October 20. The case concerns Article 20.3.1 of Russia's Code of Administrative Offenses, which penalizes incitement to hatred or enmity and the humiliation of human dignity.
Schneider first learned of the prosecutor's allegations on October 15, when she was initially summoned to the office.
According to the party, prosecutors showed her two screenshots: one of her VKontakte profile and another of a comment they allege she posted 15 years earlier.
The content of the disputed post has not been publicly disclosed.
Schneider said she did not write the comment. According to her, her account has been hacked repeatedly, including in 2026.
She believes the proceedings are connected to her opposition political activity. That is her assessment; a political motive has not been established by a court.
A hearing is scheduled for October 21 at Omsk's Kuibyshevsky District Court. Yabloko representatives said Schneider had not been given an opportunity to review all the case materials in advance.
Schneider has headed Yabloko's Omsk branch since 2023. In 2026, she was among the leading candidates on the party's federal list for State Duma elections.
The circumstances surrounding the comment and its authorship remain disputed. No ruling on the merits of the case had been issued at the time of the report.