As Russia takes its smart city technology on a global tour, jockeying for a spot as a world leader in the market, one activist in Moscow is suing the city government for using facial recognition cameras to identify and fine her for attending a protest last year.

Earlier this week, Alena Popova, a prominent campaigner for women’s rights, filed a lawsuit arguing that Moscow’s use of city-wide surveillance technology is in violation of Russia’s privacy laws. Her lawsuit stems from a protest outside parliament in April 2018. Popova was subsequently fined $310 after a court ruled she had violated strict local laws related to public gatherings.

Popova’s suit was filed as the Moscow city government exhibited its smart city program at one of the tech industry’s largest international conferences, the World Congress on Information and Technology (WCIT), held in Yerevan, Armenia this week. 

The expansive Moscow City Hall display was the first booth attendees saw as they walked in to the conference. Courtesy of the Moscow Center for innovations.

The four-day conference hosted dozens of star speakers, including Kim Kardashian West, Alexis Ohanian, founder of Reddit, and Infosys founder Narayana Murthy. The Government of Moscow was a headline sponsor.