Draft First minutes: what human rights defenders usually advise
Summoned by the KGB or police for a 'talk'
Draft. Compiled from human rights groups' guides but not yet reviewed by a lawyer. This is not legal advice — check the linked sources and consult a lawyer.
First find out what it is: a 'preventive talk' or an interrogation. At an interrogation you have a procedural status and the right to a lawyer.
Viasna's lawyers advise saying as little as possible — 'yes', 'no', 'I don't know' — and not being drawn into a 'friendly' conversation.
Don't name people, chats or contacts of those who left. Expect your phone and Telegram to be inspected or photographed.
Sign the record of the talk only after reading it in full; you can state your disagreement with its wording in writing.
An offer to 'cooperate' is a reason to contact human rights defenders at once; it can later support an asylum claim.