MOSCOW, March 18 (RAPSI) – Moscow investigators have opened a criminal case over operation of the banned movement Arestantskoye Ugulovnoye Yedinstvo / Criminal Unity of Inmates (AUE) in a penitentiary facility, the Investigative Committee’s press service has informed RAPSI.

According to the investigation, not later than April 2020, persons having criminal weight organized an AUE cell of in one of Moscow’s detention centers in order to propagate the movement’s activity inside the detention territory.

In August 2020, the Supreme Court declared the movement an extremist organization and banned its activities in Russia. The Court granted an administrative claim of the Prosecutor General. 

The Prosecutor General’s Office stressed that the activities of the movement based on a criminal and extremist ideology presented a real threat to lives and health of citizens, the society, and the state; members of the movement were involved in extremist crimes and mass riots.

In October, Russia’s Justice Ministry added the movement the list of extremist organizations banned in Russia.