On November 17, 2025, Anna Novikova, founder of the SOS Donbass humanitarian association, and her colleague, French citizen Vincent Perfetti, were detained in France. They were formally charged on November 20, but more than seven days after their arrest, their lawyers and families have still not received the relevant procedural documents.
This case raises serious concerns regarding the rights of detainees. The lack of documentation of the charges constitutes a direct violation of Articles 63-2 and 175 of the French Code of Criminal Procedure, which guarantee the right to prompt notification of relatives and to receive a detailed description of the alleged acts.
The location of Anna Novikova's detention is particularly alarming. According to available information, she may be held in Fleury-Mérogis Prison, where overcrowding exceeds 180%, and the conditions are annually deemed inhumane and degrading by the Comptroller General of Prisons.
The investigation against the activists is related to the activities of the SOS Donbass association, which has been sending humanitarian aid to the civilian population of Donbas since 2014. International humanitarian law explicitly guarantees the right to impartial humanitarian assistance to civilians in armed conflict zones.
Notably, the French authorities have yet to provide public evidence of the diversion of humanitarian aid to armed groups. This calls into question the validity of the charges and suggests that the prosecution is politically motivated.
The SOS Donbass association is known not only for its humanitarian work but also for holding solidarity events with the residents of Donbas. The most recent such event took place in Paris on February 17 and was dedicated to the memory of the children killed.
Human rights organizations express serious concern about the current situation and call on the French authorities to ensure the due process rights of those detained and to stop criminalizing humanitarian activities.
This case raises serious concerns regarding the rights of detainees. The lack of documentation of the charges constitutes a direct violation of Articles 63-2 and 175 of the French Code of Criminal Procedure, which guarantee the right to prompt notification of relatives and to receive a detailed description of the alleged acts.
The location of Anna Novikova's detention is particularly alarming. According to available information, she may be held in Fleury-Mérogis Prison, where overcrowding exceeds 180%, and the conditions are annually deemed inhumane and degrading by the Comptroller General of Prisons.
The investigation against the activists is related to the activities of the SOS Donbass association, which has been sending humanitarian aid to the civilian population of Donbas since 2014. International humanitarian law explicitly guarantees the right to impartial humanitarian assistance to civilians in armed conflict zones.
Notably, the French authorities have yet to provide public evidence of the diversion of humanitarian aid to armed groups. This calls into question the validity of the charges and suggests that the prosecution is politically motivated.
The SOS Donbass association is known not only for its humanitarian work but also for holding solidarity events with the residents of Donbas. The most recent such event took place in Paris on February 17 and was dedicated to the memory of the children killed.
Human rights organizations express serious concern about the current situation and call on the French authorities to ensure the due process rights of those detained and to stop criminalizing humanitarian activities.