The freedom of assembly is a right enshrined in the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. This right is also affirmed in the Russian Constitution, where Article 31 states: «Citizens of the Russian Federation shall have the right to gather peacefully, without weapons, and to hold meetings, rallies, demonstrations, marches, and pickets».
Despite this, people in Russia are prosecuted for peaceful protests. In January 2024, a mass criminal case was initiated regarding a gathering in Baymak (a town in the Republic Of Bashkortostan), involving around 80 people. According to OVD-Info, the total number of people subjected to criminal cases associated with the freedom of assembly has reached 624 since 2015. We have collected all these cases in our dataset.
This dataset is part of the OVD-Info database on politically motivated criminal prosecutions in Russia. Similar to the database, this dataset describes and counts the persecutions of individuals in criminal cases. If more than one case was initiated against the same person, this person is counted in each relevant case. Therefore, the number of prosecutions exceeds the number of individuals in the dataset.
For more details on counting repressions, see our methodology.
Why did we include events from 2015 in the dataset?
We believe this year marks a significant milestone in the history of criminal prosecutions for participation in public actions. Back then, Article 212.1 of the Criminal Code, concerning repeated violations of the procedure for holding public events, was applied for the first time. In December 2015, Ildar Dadin was sentenced to three years in prison under this article. Similar criminal cases are initiated solely in response to the exercise of freedom of assembly, such as participation in peaceful rallies, marches, solitary pickets, and posts on social media. We’ve detailed this issue in our report, «How They Taught Us the Fear of Protests».
Dataset Structure
Number of Prosecutions in Each Dataset Block
The dataset is divided into three blocks. The first block includes data on 532 prosecutions directly associated with mass public actions, covering not only participation but also statements regarding these actions.
The second block includes 58 prosecutions indirectly associated with public actions. These cases would not have been initiated if the actions had not taken place. For example, the case of the DOXA editors, who were prosecuted for a video recorded after mass protests in support of Alexei Navalny in 2021. In the video, the journalists urged students not to fear expulsion for participating in protests.
The third block includes 45 cases associated with solitary pickets. More details on categories and distribution are provided in the methodology.
Actions of the Persecuted Persons
Number of Prosecutions in Chronological Order
The majority of prosecutions, 473 cases, were initiated in response to actions that occurred during protests. Many cases involved accusations of violence against representatives of the authorities (Article 318 of the Criminal Code), constituting almost one-third of the dataset with 220 cases.
The study covers only peaceful actions where participants explicitly demonstrated their intention for peaceful protest. In instances where participants were accused of violence, we analyzed whether these acts were real and if they were a response to unjustified, unpunished violence by law enforcement.
Prosecutions by Year
Rate of Prosecutions by Commencement Year
The largest number of criminal cases was initiated in 2021, following the return and imprisonment of Alexei Navalny, which sparked nationwide protests with thousands of people involved.
After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the government suppressed all anti-war protests and actions against the mobilisation. Almost all types of protests faced increased pressure, making public actions a less popular form of protest. However, street protests did not disappear. In 2023, people continued to hold solitary pickets and organise public events, such as the actions of wives of mobilised soldiers demanding the return of their husbands. These protests are typically accompanied by detentions and administrative prosecution.
In 2024, a mass criminal case was initiated in association with a gathering in Baymak on January 17, when local activist Fail Alsynov was sentenced. About 80 people were charged in the case, accused of mass rioting (Article 212 of the Criminal Code), with many also accused of violence against representatives of the authorities (Article 318 of the Criminal Code). Currently, more than 70 people are detained.
Number of Persecuted Persons in Different Groups of Cases
Top Collective Cases with a Detailed View into the Prosecution Subject
By number of the persecuted persons (more than 10 persons)
A group of cases in our understanding is a set of criminal cases initiated in association with the same event or a chain of events.
The first by the number of persecuted persons is the Palace Case, initiated in response to protests supporting Alexei Navalny in 2021. The case name refers to the film by the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) about Putin’s Palace in Krasnodar Region. In total, the Palace Case involves 143 individuals.
The second most significant is the Anti-war Case, where criminal cases are united by the defendants' protests against the invasion of Ukraine.
The third is the Case of Protests in Ingushetia, prompted by the transfer of land to Chechnya. This case was initiated after a rally in Magas on March 27, 2019, which was forcibly dispersed by law enforcement. At least 65 people were prosecuted.
Age of the Persecuted Persons
Number of Persecuted Persons by Age (at the beginning of prosecution)
Most persecuted persons are aged between 18 and 30. At least eight individuals were minors at the beginning of their prosecution. One such case is Gleb Borisov, a defendant in the Palace Case, who was 17 years old at the time of his sentencing in 2021. He received a five-year suspended sentence for allegedly kicking two National Guard officers and throwing snowballs at a Federal Security Service car.
Location of the Persecuted Individuals
145 individuals persecuted for protests are currently deprived of liberty. Half of them are defendants in the Baymak case.
Ten more individuals, currently imprisoned, are defendants in the case concerning the Telegram channel «Что-Делать!» («What to Do!»). Investigators allege they «created a network of Telegram channels aimed at organising mass riots during the election days from September 17 to 19, 2021.» In early April, they were sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 5 years and 2 months to 8 years, with one defendant receiving a deferred sentence due to pregnancy.
The largest number of persecutions is registered in Moscow, Bashkortostan, and Ingushetia. The fourth most significant region is North Ossetia, associated with the Vladikavkaz Case initiated in 2020. This case arose from a gathering on April 20, involving approximately two thousand people protesting against COVID-19 restrictions. Dozens of people were prosecuted, with OVD-Info identifying 37 defendants.