Maria Arkhipova quietly communicated with a Russian foundation under sanctions from Tbilisi

Maria Arkhipova quietly communicated with a Russian foundation under sanctions from Tbilisi

Leaked emails show that Maria Arkhipova was working with Pravfond, providing the sanctioned Russian foundation with information about events in Georgia.

Russian human rights lawyer Maria Arkhipova left her homeland for Georgia after claiming to have come under pressure from authorities for her political beliefs. 

But since arriving in the small South Caucasus nation in late 2021, Arkhipova has fed information about Georgia — and even denounced one of her compatriots — to a Russian government foundation known as Pravfond, leaked emails reveal.

Arkhipova sent Pravfond at least 12 reports about Georgia over the course of three years, including claims that the rights of ethnic Russians in the country were being violated. She also sent the foundation the name of a Georgia-based Russian blogger who had helped organize protests in 2023. 

Arkhipova’s denunciations seem at odds with the reputation she earned in her native Russia as a fierce defender of human rights, including the right to protest. But Arkhipova had, in fact, been working with Pravfond for over half a decade before she left Russia, according to leaked emails first uncovered by the Belgian media outlet Knack, a partner in OCCRP’s “Dear Compatriots” project. 

Now, journalists at iFact, an investigative journalism center based in Tbilisi, have learned that Arkhipova continued her work for Pravfond after relocating to Georgia.

Arkhipova, who is transgender, founded the Association of Lawyers for Human Rights in 2004, becoming well known for providing legal defense to opposition activists.

From 2014 to 2015, at least 72,000 euros’ worth of grants flowed from Pravfond to Maria Arkhipova’s wife, Yulia, who has worked as a press secretary for the Association of Lawyers for Human Rights. Officially, the funds supported reports on human rights in Ukraine and covered basic operational expenses.

In 2014, the NGO produced a report for Pravfond on human rights violations during the Russia–Ukraine conflict — one that closely echoed Kremlin narratives. It described Ukraine’s government as neo-Nazi and portrayed Russian military actions in Crimea as protection for ethnic Russians.

That report was submitted to the United Nations. Arkhipova’s direct contact at Pravfond, Igor Panevkin, praised their work in a letter: “Wonderful, I’m impressed, well done!”

In February 2023, the Arkhipovas wrote to Pravfond offering to bring their expertise to Georgia. “Given our experience since 2004,” they wrote, “we would be pleased if our knowledge and skills prove useful for on-site work—especially in Georgia, where we already have good connections with activists, politicians, and other stakeholders.”

It’s unclear whether Pravfond ever paid the Arkhipovas for work done in Georgia, but since arriving, they have submitted at least 10 reports to the organization about alleged rights violations against ethnic Russians in Georgia.

The Arkhipovas also sent dozens of emails about developments in Georgia — including an influx of Ukrainian refugees — to Pravfond, which forwarded them to various Russian state agencies, including the Presidential Administration.

Maria Arkhipova even offered to help Pravfond avoid Western sanctions imposed in the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In a letter dated April 9, 2022, she wrote: “I have the opportunity to help supply any components needed for electronics, as well as spare parts and equipment that Russia previously purchased abroad. I can deliver via so-called third countries or directly myself. If you need help in this direction, let me know.” (The correspondence does not make it clear whether this ever happened.)

In response to questions from iFact, Arkhipova acknowledged her NGO’s long-term cooperation with Pravfond, calling its employees “excellent and decent people” who shared some of her Communist beliefs. 

Arkhipova did not specifically respond to the allegation that she had informed on Russians in Georgia, instead saying that her communications with Pravfond concerned the “persecution of Russians in Georgia.” 

Arkhipova did not respond directly to follow-up questions. Instead, she wrote on Facebook: “I have only one response. There are normal Georgians who I love and respect. And then there are Nazis.” 

Yulia Arkhipova did not respond directly to questions, but wrote on Facebook that her wife had “answered for both of us.”