Razvozzhaev has been a political activist since 1998. He is a member of the ‘Left Front’ political movement and Assistant to the Representative of the State Duma Ponomarev. On October 21, 2012 Razvozzhaev was elected a member of the Coordinating Committee of the Opposition. Leonid Razvozzhaev was called in for interrogation following the Oct. 5, 2012 screening of «The Anatomy of Protests» documentary. He went to the Ukraine in order to apply for political asylum at the Kiev office of the UN Human Rights Commission, but on Oct. 19 was kidnapped right near the UNHCR office and transported back to Russia. After two days of torture and threats to him and his family he signed the confession that his kidnappers wanted him to sign. He officially renounced this confession in court a few days later on Oct. 25. Razvozzhaev was charged with the organization and preparation of riots, including the May 6 demonstration in the Bolotnaya Square, and was jailed.