Country: Russia — Political Prisoner Database

Martynyuk Nikolai Mikhailovich

Nikolai Martynyuk, a Ukrainian citizen from the Lugansk region, was sentenced to 5 years and 6 months in prison for participating in a terrorist community. He served in the Aidar battalion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from 2014 to 2015.

LAST UPDATED · MAY 5, 2026

convicted

RU-CMJM

medium

20 YRS

Tulun, Irkutsk region

activism

Belkovich Vladimir Anatolyevich

Vladimir Belkovich, a college student, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for state treason, preparing to participate in a terrorist organization, and inciting another person to terrorist activity. He was accused of posting leaflets for the Legion "Freedom of Russia" and expressing intent to join the organization.

LAST UPDATED · MAY 5, 2026

Velika Lepetikha, Kherson Oblast, Ukraine

social media

Nikolai Vasilievich Lenitsky

Nikolai Lenitsky, a resident of the Kherson region of Ukraine, was sentenced to 7 years in prison for spreading false information about the Russian Armed Forces based on political hatred. He allegedly posted a video claiming Russian forces bombed a village in the Bryansk region, resulting in civilian deaths.

LAST UPDATED · MAY 5, 2026

V. A. N.

V. A. N. was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months of forced labor for disseminating false information about the Russian Armed Forces. The appeal was upheld.

LAST UPDATED · APR 29, 2026

Sergey Georgievich Bryuhanov

Sergey Bryuhanov, an artist from Irkutsk, was sentenced to 19 years in prison for treason, propaganda of terrorism, participation in a terrorist organization, and training for terrorist activities. The charges relate to his alleged support for the Legion "Freedom of Russia" and gathering information on Russian military objects.

LAST UPDATED · APR 29, 2026

Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai

anti war

Ilya Konstantinov

Ilya Konstantinov, a teacher, is being prosecuted for disseminating false information about the Russian Armed Forces and for publicly justifying terrorism. The verdict is currently unknown.

LAST UPDATED · APR 29, 2026

Ivan Bogdel

Ivan Bogdel, a stylist and club owner, is accused of organizing and participating in the activities of an extremist organization due to his alleged affiliation with the banned "International LGBT Movement". He was initially placed under house arrest, but it was changed to pre-trial detention.

INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION

LAST UPDATED · APR 29, 2026

Evgeniya Mandrygina

Evgeniya Mandrygina, a journalist from Krasnoyarsk, was sentenced to 3 years of forced labor for allegedly using violence against a military commissar. The incident occurred while she was reporting on mobilization efforts.

INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION

LAST UPDATED · APR 24, 2026

Grigorii Chkhartishvili

Grigorii Chkhartishvili, known as Boris Akunin, faces charges of justifying terrorism, attempting to violently change the constitutional order, and evading foreign agent obligations. The case was initiated after a conversation with pranksters and has led to book bans and searches of his publisher.

INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION

LAST UPDATED · APR 24, 2026

Grigory Chkhartishvili

Writer Grigory Chkhartishvili, known as Boris Akunin, was sentenced in absentia to 14 years in prison for publicly justifying terrorism, promoting terrorist activity, and failing to comply with obligations as a designated "foreign agent." The charges stemmed from a recorded conversation where he expressed support for Ukraine and organized fundraising efforts.

INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION

LAST UPDATED · APR 24, 2026

Vladimir Maksimovich Korsunov

Vladimir Korsunov, a Ukrainian citizen and pensioner with a disability, was sentenced to 5 years in a colony-settlement for participating in a terrorist community. He served in the Aidar battalion from November 2014 to February 2015.

HEALTH RISK

LAST UPDATED · APR 15, 2026

Vadim Anatolyevich Krivoruchko

Vadim Krivoruchko, former head of a psychological diagnostics center, was found guilty of cooperating with a foreign entity. He has been in custody since approximately June 2023, but his sentence is unknown.

LAST UPDATED · APR 29, 2026

Baishevo, Bashkortostan Republic

protest

Kulmukhametov Zakir Zakarievich

Zakir Kulmukhametov, a farmer from Bashkortostan, was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in a general regime correctional colony. He was convicted of participating in mass riots and using non-life-threatening violence against a government official. He was imprisoned no later than February 2024.

LAST UPDATED · APR 15, 2026

Dmitry Vladimirovich Lyalyaev

Dmitry Lyalyaev, a poet and songwriter from Saratov, was sentenced to 2 years and 2 months in a penal colony for extremist activity and spreading false information about the Russian Armed Forces. The charges stemmed from online posts criticizing Putin and the war in Ukraine, including images depicting Putin with Nazi symbols.

LAST UPDATED · APR 15, 2026

Yoshkar-Ola, Republic of Mari El

activism

Mamaev Sergey Olegovich

Sergey Mamaev, a civil activist from Yoshkar-Ola, is accused of supporting an organization associated with Alexei Navalny. He has been detained since July 22, 2025, facing charges related to participation in an extremist organization.

LAST UPDATED · MAY 5, 2026

Aleksandr Nikolaevich Maksimchuk

Aleksandr Maksimchuk, a Ukrainian citizen and former member of the Azov regiment, was sentenced to 20 years in a strict regime colony. He was convicted of participating in a terrorist community and undergoing training for terrorist activities.

INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION

LAST UPDATED · APR 15, 2026

Mukhin Aleksandr Aleksandrovich

Aleksandr Mukhin, a Ukrainian citizen and former soldier in the Azov Regiment, was sentenced to 22 years in a strict regime colony. He was convicted on charges including attempting to overthrow the Russian government and participating in terrorist activities.

LAST UPDATED · APR 15, 2026

David John Orrells

David Orrells, a UK citizen and employee of the OSCE mission, was charged with espionage by the Ministry of State Security of the LPR in January 2023. He is accused of transmitting information about the positions of the People's Militia of the LPR and the location of civilian infrastructure.

URGENT ACTION

LAST UPDATED · APR 29, 2026

Evgeny Vyacheslavovich Bondarenko

Evgeny Bondarenko, a Ukrainian native, was arrested in the Tula region no later than November 2023 and charged with high treason. The details of the charges are unknown, but he was found guilty on March 27, 2024.

URGENT ACTION

LAST UPDATED · APR 29, 2026

Victoria Georgievna Kosheleva

Victoria Kosheleva was charged in Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, no later than October 2024, with financing an undesirable organization. According to investigators, Kosheleva collected and transferred money to support the activities of the "All-Ukrainian Spiritual Center 'Revival'".

URGENT ACTION

LAST UPDATED · APR 29, 2026

Anna Georgievna Bilega

Anna Bilega, a journalist for the newspaper "Uglegorskiye Novosti," was searched in Shakhtyorsk, Sakhalin Oblast, in February 2023. She was charged with repeated "discreditation" of the army for comments posted on Odnoklassniki.

URGENT ACTION

LAST UPDATED · APR 15, 2026

Vladimir Valeryevich Shafirov

Vladimir Shafirov, a blogger from Buryatia, is facing criminal charges for allegedly making calls to terrorism in December 2023. The charges stem from a video where he criticized the mobilization and war in Ukraine.

URGENT ACTION

LAST UPDATED · APR 15, 2026

Stephen James Hubbard

Stephen James Hubbard, a US citizen and English teacher, was captured by Russian forces in Izium in April 2022. He is accused of being a mercenary.

URGENT ACTION

LAST UPDATED · APR 15, 2026

Moscow, unknown region

treason

Banar D.

Banar D., a resident of Moscow, is accused of cooperating with a foreign state against the security of the Russian Federation. He is being held in custody and faces up to 8 years of imprisonment.

LAST UPDATED · APR 29, 2026

detained

Documented Cases.

Martynyuk Nikolai Mikhailovich

Belkovich Vladimir Anatolyevich

Nikolai Vasilievich Lenitsky

V. A. N.

Sergey Georgievich Bryuhanov

Ilya Konstantinov

Ivan Bogdel

Evgeniya Mandrygina

Grigorii Chkhartishvili

Grigory Chkhartishvili

Vladimir Maksimovich Korsunov

Vadim Anatolyevich Krivoruchko

Kulmukhametov Zakir Zakarievich

Dmitry Vladimirovich Lyalyaev

Mamaev Sergey Olegovich

Aleksandr Nikolaevich Maksimchuk

Mukhin Aleksandr Aleksandrovich

David John Orrells

Evgeny Vyacheslavovich Bondarenko

Victoria Georgievna Kosheleva

Anna Georgievna Bilega

Vladimir Valeryevich Shafirov

Stephen James Hubbard

Banar D.