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Russian influencer, Veronika Loginova, 18, could be jailed up to six years for using Instagram.

She posted a statement on the social media platform on Sep. 21, where she has 556,000 followers.

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A post shared by VERONIKA L. (@logiinovva)

Home in Russia visited by authorities

She wrote that her mother had called her in August after police turned up at her family's house.

Photos of a letter she received from Russian prosecutors was also uploaded on the platform.

The notice was brought to her family by two men who threatened her with a jail term for using Instagram.

They claimed she was drawing too much attention on the platform.

Roskomsvoboda, a Russian digital rights group that fights internet censorship, reported that the letter was sent by Kuntsevo Interdistrict Prosecutor's Office.

Loginova's 14-year-old brother was said to have been confused by the presence of the officers in the house at that time and why they were even looking for his elder sister.

First known case

This is the first case of an individual in Russia being persecuted for using Instagram.

Russia has banned Facebook and Instagram in the country since March 2022 for being "extremist", according to Roskomsvoboda.

The ban followed Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine in February.

The letter accuses Loginova of performing "actions to attract users on the social networks Facebook and Instagram" and that her continuing to post there "can be considered as a form of participation in the activities of an extremist organisation".

Loginova has 556,000 followers on Instagram.

It could also be the case that others have been served papers but none other than Loginova has spoken about it publicly.

Influencer challenges letter

In response to the allegations, Loginova replied on Instagram: "Are you serious? Me? An 18-year-old girl and fashion blogger?"

She also denied having posted anything political on her social media at all.

She added that she would consider leaving Instagram and escaping Russia altogether.

Updates on future plans will be posted on Instagram, she added, and called her situation "complete bullsh*t", while wanting as many people to know about it as possible.

Implications of persecution

Sargis Darbinyan, the head of the legal practice of Roskomsvoboda, said in the organisation's statement that a Russian citizen being perspecuted for using Instagram means "everything is under attack, even those who post cats".

She said someone who asks people to follow them on Instagram could face up to 14 years in prison.

This is according to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Roskomsvoboda has sent an appeal to the prosecutor's office asking for more clarification on Loginova's charges.

You can read Loginova's response below, translated from Russian to English:

On Aug. 17, I was in Paris, a call came from my mother with a trembling voice: ‘The police came to our house and they are looking for you.’

Meanwhile, my 14-year-old brother is trying to figure out what’s even going on and why there are two grown men in the hallway providing us a statement. A statement in which, as it turned out later, I am facing a six-year jail term for using Instagram, along the lines of, ‘I stand out too much.’

Are you serious? Me? An 18-year-old girl and fashion blogger? Entrepreneur, creator of a clothing brand, who pays taxes to her own country? A person who posts about mental health support and never touched on politics?

Yup. Just like that. You live, take beautiful photos, build a business, help people, do not touch anyone. But you live in Russia, and among a million bloggers, they come after you.

Without exaggeration, there has not been a single similar case in history. Apparently, there is a first in everything.

What will I do? Should I quit Instagram? To run away from Russia? Put up a lawsuit to figure out and shed light on this story here. Thankfully I have support in the form of people who understand.

All photos via Veronika Loginova Instagram