In an article for Meduza, exiled Russian human rights lawyer Ivan Pavlov announces the launch of Pervy Otdel (“Department One”), a new legal initiative dedicated to defending individuals accused of treason, espionage, and other state security-related offenses often prosecuted in secret. Pavlov, who previously led the disbanded Team 29, was forced to flee Russia in 2021 after being charged with leaking classified information and facing mounting state repression. His new project aims to challenge legal abuses hidden behind the veil of state secrecy and to expose politically motivated prosecutions. Though now operating from abroad, Pervy Otdel works closely with lawyers still in Russia, many of whom must remain anonymous for their safety. The group seeks not only to defend clients but also to shed light on how the Kremlin weaponizes state secrecy to suppress dissent and inflate conviction statistics.