Moscow Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Zhanna Nemtsova

Sep. 17, 2026 Zhanna Nemtsova. MSC / Kuhlmann (CC BY 3.0 de) A Moscow judge has issued an arrest warrant for Zhanna Nemtsova, the daughter of the late Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov, state-run media reported Thursday. The warrant went into effect after a judge at the Moscow City Court upheld Nemtsova’s earlier pre-trial detention in absentia, which a lower court issued on July 31. “An arrest warrant has been issued for Nemtsova Zhanna Borisovna,” the state-run RIA Novosti news agency quoted the judge as saying as she rejected the defense’s appeal. Nemtsova, who has lived in Europe for several years, faces charges of organizing the activities of an “undesirable” organization. The criminal offense carries a maximum penalty of six years in prison. Nemtsova said the charges stem from her work with the Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom, a Germany-based non-profit she helped establish in November 2015. The foundation supports independent journalism and offers educational grants and scholarships to activists and reporters. Russian authorities designated Nemtsova’s foundation as “undesirable” in 2024. Her father, Boris Nemtsov, was gunned down near the Kremlin in February 2015. He was once seen as Boris Yeltsin’s chosen successor and later became one of Vladimir Putin’s most formidable opponents. Five men were convicted for Nemtsov’s murder, but his family and supporters maintain that the organizers behind the killing remain unpunished. Read more about: Court cases , Opposition Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Moscow Activist Kotov Detained for Allegedly Donating to Navalny’s ‘Extremist’ Groups Konstantin Kotov was arrested during the 2019 Moscow election protests and ended up serving 18 months for “multiple breaches” of Russian protest laws... 1 Min read Opposition Politician Accused of ‘Discrediting’ Russian Military “The ideal goal is to scare people into not even thinking,” the politician, Lev Shlosberg, wrote. Russian Blogger Jailed for 5 Years Over ‘Hateful’ Tweet A Moscow court said the tweet urged violence against the children of police officers following a mass protest crackdown. Russia Violated Navalny’s Rights With House Arrest, European Court Rules Navalny's supporters have said the monthslong house arrest was part of a politically motivated investigation.