Расія

Палітзняволеныя ў краіне Расія

Name: Political Prisoners in Russia — Documented Cases
Creator: Political Prisoner Watch
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Политические заключённые в России

1200 задакументаваных спраў

Russia holds the largest documented population of political prisoners in Europe. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, prosecutions under Article 207.3 ('fakes' about the army) and Article 280.3 ('discrediting' the army) have driven a sustained wave of arrests of journalists, anti-war demonstrators, ordinary citizens posting on social media, and members of suppressed religious or ethnic minorities.

Political Prisoner Watch aggregates verified case records from the leading Russian human rights organizations — OVD-Info, Political Prisoners Support. Memorial, and Mediazona — translates them into English, and standardizes the case taxonomy so journalists, lawyers, and researchers can search by region, charge, demographic, and urgency. Cases here are sourced from public reporting; we do not generate primary documentation.

Асноўныя крыніцы: OVD-Info, Political Prisoners Support. Memorial, Mediazona

§ Data

Расія, by the numbers

Documented cases
a lower bound

Documented

1,200

Urgent

365

30% of cases

Torture reported

Int’l attention

129

Arrests over time

25 mo

Cases by category

Top 7

Social Media311

Protest193

Other185

Journalism124

Activism112

Treason107

Anti War71

Urgency profile

Critical25

High340

Medium732

Low101

Most-cited charges / articles

Top 7

207.3193

205.2138

280.397

27565

3062

21456

20553

Figures reflect documented cases in this database · a lower bound, not an official total

Нядаўнія справы па краіне Расія

RU-CMQD

Сярэдняя

НЕВЯДОМА

Yoshkar-Ola, Mari El Republic

Сацсеткі

Roman Vladimirovich Alfimtsev

Roman Alfimtsev was convicted of publicly justifying terrorism after posting comments on VK that characterized Shamil Basayev as a 'freedom fighter.' He was sentenced to 5 years in a general regime colony. The defense claims the evidence, including the mobile phone used, was falsified by law enforcement.

РЫЗЫКА ДЛЯ ЗДАРОЎЯ

АБНОЎЛЕНА · JUN 14, 2026

Domodedovo, Moscow Oblast

Сацсеткі

Sergey Chadaev

Sergey Chadaev was fined 100,000 rubles for discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. The case originated from an obscene comment he made on the VKontakte social network regarding a post about a woman supporting the front lines. He had previously faced administrative fines for similar social media activity.

АБНОЎЛЕНА · JUN 14, 2026

Ilya Usoyan

Ilya Usoyan, a livestock farmer, was sentenced to three and a half years in a general regime prison colony. He was accused of attempting to persuade a friend to surrender to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The charges were reclassified from incitement to preparation for organizing voluntary surrender.

АБНОЎЛЕНА · JUN 14, 2026

Magadan, Magadan Oblast

Сацсеткі

Vitaliy Tkachenko

Vitaliy Tkachenko was sentenced to two years in a general regime colony for publishing comments on Telegram calling for the destruction of Russians. His case consists of five separate episodes related to extremist activity.

АБНОЎЛЕНА · JUN 10, 2026

Vologda, Vologda Oblast

Сацсеткі

Olga Kozlova

Olga Kozlova was fined 300,000 roubles for posting a comment on Telegram that expressed gratitude toward the Freedom of Russia Legion. The court considered her previous time under house arrest when determining the final fine amount.

АБНОЎЛЕНА · JUN 10, 2026

Augustus Jenkins Oscar Charles

Augustus Jenkins Oscar Charles has been sentenced to 13 years in a strict regime colony. His case is categorized under political prisoners without religious persecution.

АБНОЎЛЕНА · JUN 8, 2026

Balyan Armen Tevanovich

Armen Tevanovich Balyan has been sentenced to 12 years in a strict regime colony. The court decision has officially entered into force.

АБНОЎЛЕНА · JUN 8, 2026

Anderson James Scott Rice

Anderson James Scott Rice received a 19-year sentence, including 5 years in a prison facility. He is facing multiple charges including Article 359 and Article 205.

АБНОЎЛЕНА · JUN 8, 2026

Elena Ivanovna Aleshechkina

Elena Aleshechkina is currently being held in a pretrial detention center in Khabarovsk Krai. She is facing charges under Article 275 of the Criminal Code.

АБНОЎЛЕНА · JUN 5, 2026

Vladimir Yuryevich Alekseenko

Vladimir Alekseenko was sentenced to 12 years in a strict regime colony for high treason. He is accused of providing financial aid to a foreign entity aimed at undermining Russian security.

АБНОЎЛЕНА · JUN 5, 2026

Veronika Belotserkovskaya

Veronika Belotserkovskaya, a popular Instagram blogger living abroad, was sentenced in absentia to nine years imprisonment for allegedly spreading false information about the Russian army's actions in Ukraine. She was also designated a foreign agent and her property was seized.

МІЖНАРОДНАЯ ЎВАГА

АБНОЎЛЕНА · MAY 26, 2026

Rostislav Murzagulov

Rostislav Murzagulov was sentenced in absentia to eight years in prison for disseminating false information about the Russian Armed Forces and evading the duties of a foreign agent. He was also fined and banned from administering websites.

МІЖНАРОДНАЯ ЎВАГА

АБНОЎЛЕНА · MAY 26, 2026

Асуджаны

Усе 1200 спраў па краіне Расія Паказаць на карце Апошнія навіны

380 з 1200 спраў пакуль не нанесены на карту — звычайна таму, што першакрыніца не пазначыла дакладнае месца.