News

Over the year, the number of political prisoners in Russia has increased from 305 to 362

Shamil Fataliev and ten other Muslims from St. Petersburg have been convicted on charges of involvement in an extremist organisation. Fataliev received the longest term of seven years in a penal colony

The programme for the support of political prisoners analyses the situation and outlines ways to improve it

Sentence Highlights Politically Motivated Persecution

Sergei Lavrov was sentenced to five years in a penal colony and compulsory psychiatric treatment under a ‘terrorist’ article of the Russian Criminal Code, although his entire prosecution was based on a broad interpretation of ‘justification of terrorism.’

Mikhail Iosilevich is being prosecuted solely because opposition events were held on a property owned by him. The journalist Irina Slavina, who was driven to suicide, was a witness in the case

Karina Tsurkan is charged with spying for Moldova, but her guilt has not been proved and the investigation has been conducted with gross violations of the law

Dursoltan Taganova Risks Arbitrary Detention, Torture if Returned Home

We demand the release of Bagavudin Omarov and an end to the prosecution of alleged supporters of At-Takfir wal-Hijra for offences under anti-extremist articles of the Russian Criminal Code

Memorial has published a report reviewing the use of Article 205.4 of the Russian Criminal Code

Semyon Simonov is being prosecuted for the failure of Southern Human Rights Centre, an NGO he heads, to pay a fine for not registering as a ‘foreign agent.’

Ruslan Mesutov, Lenur Khalilov, Ruslan Nagayev and Eldar Kantimirov, all from the town of Alushta in Crimea, are being prosecuted under ‘terrorism’ articles of the Russian Criminal Code without having been charged with terrorism

Magomed Khamkhoyev is facing unsubstantiated charges of inciting violence not dangerous to life or health against law enforcement officers during the forcible dispersal of a peaceful rally in Ingushetia in March 2019

We demand the immediate release of Aleksandr Shabarchin, sentenced to two years in a penal colony, and the quashing of the convictions in the case, one other victim of which has been Danila Vasilyev who was given a suspended sentence.

We are against the criminal prosecution of Darya Polyudova based as it is on an excessively broad interpretation of statements made by the activist that present a negligible danger to society

We consider her conviction for the offence of public justification of terrorism unlawful and politically motivated. Prokopyeva's prosecution is directly related to her work as a journalist

The Authorities Fear Street Demonstrations

Moscow district council member Yulia Galyamina is the first opposition leader to be prosecuted under the so-called ‘Dadin’ article of the Russian Criminal Code

Shamil Galimov and Ilmir Motygullin were sentenced to 17 and 13 years, respectively, in a strict regime penal colony, although there is no evidence they were preparing acts of violence, or called for the commission of such acts.

We oppose a broad interpretation of the notion of ‘justification of terrorism’ and the criminalisation of careless comments on the Internet