Urgent Cases

Arseny Turbin

activism

Arseny Turbin was arrested at the age of 15 in the summer of 2023. He is accused of joining the Freedom of Russia Legion, a paramilitary group. He admitted to distributing leaflets but denied following instructions. He had openly criticized the invasion of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin and was politically active on social media and at protests.

Roman Tyurin died in custody after being sentenced to 6 years and 3 months' imprisonment for multiple offenses including discrediting the Russian Armed Forces, public justification of terrorism and calls for activities against the security of the Russian Federation. The case stemmed from a post linking to videos showing alleged marauding by Russian soldiers.

Igor Orzhevsky, a blogger from Moscow, faces charges for spreading false information about the Russian Armed Forces, public justification of terrorism, incitement to hatred and rehabilitation of Nazism. The case is related to his publications about the war in Ukraine and criticism of Putin; he sought political asylum in the US and was detained.

Ekaterina Fomina, a former correspondent for Vazhnye Istorii, was sentenced in absentia to eight and a half years for spreading false information about the Armed Forces. The case is related to an interview she conducted with a serviceman who confessed to killing civilians in the Kiev region.

Danil Tomshin, a resident of the Irkutsk region, was detained on charges of incitement to extremism for distributing leaflets advocating for the separation of Siberia from Russia. After giving his testimony, he committed suicide.

Marchenko Eldar Mikael ogly

other

Eldar Marchenko, a marketing director and sports management professor, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for allegedly committing a terrorist act. He claims to have been tortured into confessing to working for Ukrainian special services.

Anatoly Poplavsky

other

Anatoly Poplavsky was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for applying to join the "Freedom of Russia" legion. He claims he was drunk and did not intend to join, and alleges he was tortured after his arrest.

Igor Pokusin, head of a public movement, was sentenced to imprisonment for preparation for high treason for allegedly planning to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He died in prison.

Maxim Asriyan

protest

Maxim Asriyan, a healthcare worker, was sentenced to 8 years for attempted arson of a military recruitment office and treason for intending to join the "Freedom of Russia" legion. The Memorial Human Rights Defence Centre considers his prosecution politically motivated and aimed at suppressing dissent.

Igor Baryshnikov

social media

Igor Baryshnikov was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison for publishing posts about the shelling of a maternity hospital in Mariupol and the killing of residents of Bucha. He has faced health issues and mistreatment while imprisoned, including delayed medical care and restrictions on communication.

Alexander Nevzorov

journalism

Alexander Nevzorov, a journalist and YouTuber, was sentenced in absentia to eight years in prison for publishing "fake" information about the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine. His property was seized and he was declared a "foreign agent".

Bogdan Ziza

protest

Bogdan Ziza, an artist from Crimea, was sentenced to 15 years in a strict regime colony for allegedly pouring paint and throwing a Molotov cocktail at a local administration building. He claims he was beaten by officers to achieve a "more sincere repentance."

Alexey Rozhkov

protest

Alexey Rozhkov was sentenced to 16 years' imprisonment for setting a military recruitment center on fire and giving an interview to Khodorkovsky LIVE channel. The interview led to charges of public justification of terrorism and spreading false information about the Armed Forces.

Gregory Marcus Severin Winter

social media

Gregory Marcus Severin Winter, a human rights defender, was sentenced to 3 years in prison for spreading "fakes" about the RF Armed Forces through a VKontakte post regarding Bucha and Mariupol. He has a history of persecution, including prior convictions and allegations of torture.

Alexander Nozdrinov

journalism

Alexander Nozdrinov, a blogger from Novokubansk, has been sentenced to 8 years and 6 months in prison for spreading "fake news" about the Russian Armed Forces. His Telegram channel post about a destroyed building in Kiev led to his conviction, and he reported torture during the legal proceedings.

Ruslan Fomin

other

Ruslan Fomin, already serving a 12-year sentence, received an additional 3 years for public justification of terrorism, stemming from critical statements made in a pre-trial detention center. His total sentence is now 13 years in a strict regime penal colony.

Andrey Kotov was prosecuted for anti-war posts on VKontakte and sentenced in absentia to 7 years' imprisonment. He was also charged with participation in the activities of an extremist organisation and manufacturing child pornography before reportedly committing suicide in custody.

Danil Andreevich Efimov

other

Danil Efimov, a student, was sentenced to 12 years for state treason due to transferring money to a Ukrainian charity. He was detained at Volgograd airport, and allegedly tortured while in custody.

Yuri Alekseevich Dmitriev

other

Yuri Dmitriev, a historian and researcher of political repression, was sentenced to 15 years in a strict regime colony. He was convicted on charges of producing child pornography, lewd acts, and possession of weapons, charges widely considered politically motivated.

Irina Bronislavovna Danilovich

journalism

Irina Bronislavovna Danilovich, a nurse and citizen journalist from Crimea, was sentenced to 6 years and 11 months in a general regime colony for possession of explosives. She claims she was abducted by the FSB, held incommunicado, tortured, and that the explosives were planted.

Garcia Calatayud Mariano

other

Mariano Garcia Calatayud, a Spanish volunteer living in Kherson, Ukraine, was abducted by Russian forces in March 2022. He is believed to be held in a Russian prison without any legal status and has reportedly been subjected to torture and ill-treatment.

Baburin Ilya Nikolaevich

other

Ilya Baburin was sentenced to 25 years in prison for treason, a terrorist act, and related charges, allegedly for assisting the Azov regiment. The prosecution claimed he planned to set fire to infrastructure objects in Russia at the direction of Azov members.

Natalia A., a resident of Krasnodar, disappeared after being detained at Sochi airport upon returning from visiting her grandmother in Kherson. She was initially arrested for 11 days for disobeying a military serviceman, but was then taken away by the FSB and her whereabouts are currently unknown.

Piruz Peikrishvili, a driver from Komsomolsk-on-Amur, was sentenced to six and a half years in a general regime penal colony for discrediting the Russian Armed Forces and spreading "fakes" about them. He considers himself a citizen of the USSR and was initially given a suspended sentence before a new case led to his imprisonment.

Bai Asan Sadrievich

other

Bai Asan Sadrievich, a Ukrainian citizen, is accused of participating in an armed formation on foreign territory against the interests of the Russian Federation. He has been detained since September 2024.

Audzhi Eskender Selverovich

other

Audzhi Eskender Selverovich, a Ukrainian citizen, was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months of imprisonment for participating in an armed formation on foreign territory against the interests of the Russian Federation. He has been detained since July 25, 2023.

Yuriy Mikhailovich Belenky

other

Yuriy Belenky, an IT director, was arrested in Moscow on September 29, 2025, and accused of financing terrorism for allegedly donating to Ukrainian causes via cryptocurrency. He reports being beaten during his arrest, and his defense disputes the charges, arguing that donations were for humanitarian aid, not terrorism.

Sergey Soloviev was sentenced to two years in a penal colony for discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. He posted negative comments on VKontakte about Russian servicemen involved in the special military operation and had previously been fined for discrediting the army.

An unknown male from Sakhalin was sentenced to five and a half years in a general regime colony for calls to terrorism. He allegedly posted comments in a messenger calling for an armed rebellion and opposing the war.

Ilya Usoyan, a farmer, was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for preparing the organization of voluntary surrender. He allegedly tried to persuade a friend to surrender to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Roman Losyakin was sentenced in absentia to 6 years in prison for spreading false information about the Russian Armed Forces. The case was based on a repost of a video about Bucha and a comment critical of the Russian army.

Khristoliub Bozhii Vegan, a YouTube blogger from Voronezh, was sentenced to three years in a penal colony for rehabilitation of Nazism and insulting religious feelings. The charges stemmed from videos he posted about Soviet soldiers and a condemnation of the Koran.

Mikhail Romanov was initially fined for discrediting the Russian Armed Forces on VKontakte. He was later sentenced to five years in a general regime penal colony for calls to terrorism, allegedly made on social networks.

Eva Vladislavovna Bagrova

other

Eva Bagrova, a minor, was sentenced to 4 years in a correctional colony for public justification of terrorism and facilitating terrorist activities after posting photos of members of the Russian Volunteer Corps at her school. She reported being pressured and threatened during interrogation.

Danila Vladislavovich Bagrov

other

Danila Bagrov was sentenced to 9 years in prison for preparing to participate in a terrorist organization and for treason. He allegedly intended to join the Russian Volunteer Corps to fight against the Russian army and was detained at the airport.

Evgeny Alexandrovich Batog

other

Evgeny Batog, a Ukrainian serviceman, was convicted on September 29, 2025, under Article 205.5 and 205.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for participation in terrorist activities and training for terrorist purposes. He was captured no later than December 30, 2024.

Boris Ushakov, a former coordinator of Gulagu.net and human rights defender, was arrested on charges of insulting and threatening a police officer. He protested his detention by swallowing metal objects and declaring a hunger strike.

Bogdanov Oleg Valerevich

other

Oleg Bogdanov, a Ukrainian citizen and former Kherson city official, was sentenced to 18 years in prison. He was convicted on charges related to terrorism, including attempted acts and preparation for terrorism.

Alexander Kachkurkin, a Ukrainian developer with imposed Russian citizenship, was deported from Kazakhstan to Russia and arrested upon arrival. He is accused of treason due to alleged transfers to Ukraine.

Alexandra Mangubi, a Crimean resident, was arrested in November 2024 and held incommunicado. She is accused of treason and is currently held in SIZO-2 Simferopol.

Vladislav Krenik

other

Vladislav Krenik, a cook in a military unit, was sentenced to five years in a colony-settlement for unauthorized abandonment of his unit. He had requested a transfer to alternative military service due to his unwillingness to kill people and his back condition, but was denied.

Eduard Karpov, an artillery officer, is being prosecuted for refusing to participate in combat operations in Ukraine. He had previously served in the invasion but requested dismissal due to his views and the death of relatives in Mariupol.

Maxim Chishkovsky

protest

Maxim Chishkovsky was sentenced to 11 years in a strict regime colony for setting fire to a military recruitment center in Vladivostok. He admitted to throwing a Molotov cocktail at the window as a manifestation of his civil position.

Khristoliub Vegan, a YouTube blogger, was sentenced to three years in a penal colony for rehabilitation of Nazism and insulting religious feelings. The charges stem from videos he posted criticizing Soviet soldiers and condemning the Quran.

Ablyazov Nariman Rustemovich

ethnic

Nariman Ablyazov, a Crimean Tatar entrepreneur and public figure from Genichesk, Ukraine, was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for allegedly participating in the Noman Çelebicihan Battalion and supporting it with goods and services. He was accused of undermining the interests of the Russian Federation.

Roman Gribov, 42, was arrested in Kostroma for two comments on Telegram, accused of inciting terrorism and extremism. He reported being tortured by FSB officers after his detention, including electric shocks and beatings.

Ayna Mankieva, a 21-year-old woman who fled domestic violence in Ingushetia, was detained in Moscow on theft charges filed by her mother. Journalists and activists who gathered at the police station to support her were also detained but later released. Mankieva was released but remains under investigation.

Bliznyuk Sergey Alekseevich

other

Sergey Alekseevich Bliznyuk, a Ukrainian citizen and military serviceman, is accused of participating in a terrorist community and undergoing training for terrorist activities. He has been imprisoned since May 17, 2022, and is currently a prisoner of war.

Yuri Izmailov, a former military and activist from Novosibirsk, has been charged with treason for allegedly corresponding with a Ukrainian military contact. He was initially detained in August 2024 for intending to join the Russian Volunteer Corps and has been subjected to violence during his arrest and interrogation.

60-year-old Alexander Titov from the Leningrad region was detained and placed in pre-trial detention (SIZO) for justifying terrorism due to comments in a chat related to the Ukrainian Azov regiment. He missed a court hearing due to an asthma attack and has been denied essential medication and medical care in detention, despite having bronchial asthma and showing signs of encephalopathy.