Repressions report: May 2023

In May, a court sentenced a pensioner from St. Petersburg to a suspended term for leaving a note on Putin’s parents' grave requesting to «take [their son] in with them.» Former Mayor of Yekaterinburg, Yevgeny Royzman, was fined 260,000 rubles (US$3177) under the article on discrediting the army. A military court sentenced Nikita Tushkanov, a teacher from the Komi Republic, to two and a half years in a penal colony. Tushkanov faced persecution due to comments about the explosion on the Crimean Bridge.

OVD-Info maintains regularly updated infographics about individuals who have faced criminal prosecution due to their anti-war stance. You can find information about the development of anti-war repressions for the dates of April 22nd to May 21st of this year in our Anti-War Repression Summary.

Detention Conditions of Political Prisoners

Punishment Cells (SHIZO) and Solitary Confinement

The administration of IK-6 penal colony in the Vladimir region, where Alexei Navalny is located, placed the politician in the Special Regime Isolation Cell (SHIZO) twice in May. The same happened with Alexander Shestun, the former head of the Serpukhov District in the Moscow region. The use of punitive isolation units serves as a tool of pressure on other political prisoners as well. For instance, activist Grigory Severin from Voronezh has been held in SHIZO for over two months, and Crimean Tatar Muslim Aliyev for over four months. Another political prisoner from Crimea, athlete Teymur Abdullaev, spent over 750 days in SHIZO. Additionally, human rights defender Vladimir Taranenko from Kemerovo was held in the detention center’s punitive confinement for a month.

Health Impact

The prosecutor’s representative in the trial on the «anti-war case» against Igor Baryshnikov believes that the defendant’s cancer diagnosis is not an obstacle to a real prison sentence. In May, the prosecution requested eight years in a penal colony for Baryshnikov under the article related to spreading «fake news» about the army.

Other Forms of Pressure

Krasnodar-based blogger Askhavali Alibekov and a defendant in one of the Crimean cases related to «Hizb ut-Tahrir, » Ekrem Kroshe, reported violence inflicted upon them in the pretrial detention center (SIZO). In Moscow, the Investigative Committee refused to initiate a case regarding the beating of Dmitry Ivanov, the author of «Protesting MGU [Moscow State University]» Telegram channel, by convoy officers.

The state news agency, RIA «Novosti, » addressed the editorial office of The Wall Street Journal with threats against journalist Evan Gershkovich, who is currently in SIZO.

«Foreign Agents» and «Undesirable» Organizations

In May, at least 12 «foreign agents, » both individuals and heads of organizations listed in the register, were issued protocols for the lack of proper labeling in their publications. Among them are pop singer Monetochka, rapper Noize MC, libertarian blogger Mikhail Svetov, and historian Tamara Eidelman. Moscow City Duma deputy Darya Besedina had three protocols drawn up against her, but the court returned them to the Ministry of Justice.

12 «foreign agents» were issued protocols for the lack of proper labeling in their publications

In May, the new «undesirable» organizations included Greenpeace and the international project of the Anti-Corruption Foundation, registered in the USA.

Greenpeace announced the closure of its Russian branch. «Can the protection of the country’s nature contradict its interests? The answer is obvious, » the environmentalists wrote in their statement.

Additionally, in May, OVD-Info reported a fine imposed under the article related to cooperation with an «undesirable organization» due to references to publications from «Meduza» and the «Free Idel-Ural» organization. They also faced protocols under the same article for reposting materials from «Meduza.» Furthermore, a court in St. Petersburg fined a journalist from «Vazhnye Istoriy» under the same article for sending questions to a defense enterprise on behalf of the publication.

Freedom of Speech

Cases Related to Calls for Terrorism or Extremism

May brought the news of a criminal case initiated under the article on justifying terrorism against the authors of «Finist Bright Falcon» play — director Zhenya Berkovich and playwright Svetlana Petrychuk. Both of them were sent to pretrial detention. The play tells the story of women who faced terrorist organization recruitment. The accusation in the criminal case is based on an expertise conducted by an author who invented a new science called «destructology» a few years ago.

Activist Mikhail Kriger has been sentenced to seven years in a penal colony due to his Facebook posts, specifically regarding the self-immolation of Mikhail Zhlobitsky at the Arkhangelsk FSB building. Additionally, a resident of Kurgan was fined for calls to «violently overthrow state power and murder its representatives.»

Cases Related to the Article on «Rehabilitation of Nazism»

Seven new criminal cases under the article on «rehabilitation of Nazism» appeared in May. Two of them were initiated in the Bryansk region and Nizhny Novgorod due to St. George ribbons being torn off the local residents’ clothing. Lighting a cigarette from the Eternal Flame and a social media comment about the division of Poland between Nazi Germany and the USSR also served as reasons for initiating criminal cases.

Insulting the Religious Feelings of Believers

In May, the Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case against Nikita Zhuravel from Volgograd, accusing him of burning the Quran in front of a mosque. After the court decided to remand him in custody, the young man was transferred to a pretrial detention center in Grozny, where his case will be handled by Chechen law enforcement. Russian Minister of Justice, Konstantin Chuychenko, considered it «appropriate» for Zhuravel to serve his sentence in a region with a predominantly Muslim population «after a guilty verdict is reached».

Additionally, in May, there were two more verdicts under the article on insulting the religious feelings of believers: residents of Tula region and Abakan were sentenced to compulsory labor for their online publications. A similar case was also initiated in the Kirov region.

Cases Related to «LGBT Propaganda»

In May, Russian courts continued to consider cases under the article on «LGBT propaganda.» Fines of 100,000 rubles (US$1220) were imposed on Yan Dvorkin, the head of «Center T», an initiative group providing assistance to transgender and non-binary individuals, a resident of Volgograd who posted a profile on a dating website, and blogger Gela Gogishvili.

Freedom of Assembly

Arrests at Protests and their Consequences

In the Ulyanovsk region, at least seven workers from a local car factory who participated in a strike demanding higher wages have been detained. Moscow journalist Ilya Pivovarov was beaten and taken to a detention center for filming the laying of a mourning wreath at the building of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Denial of Protest Permits

In Vladimir and Yakutsk, the authorities refused to allow protests for those affected by housing conditions. In Barnaul, they did not approve the May Day demonstration, and in Novosibirsk, they rejected the «Immortal Regiment» procession.

Other Forms of Pressure

Persecution of Political Organizations and Activists

Searches were conducted in several cities of Russia as part of a criminal case related to «fakes» about the Russian army and public justification of terrorism against former State Duma deputy Ilya Ponomarev. Law enforcement officers in St. Petersburg conducted searches in the homes of activists from the «Union of Carriers of Russia» and the organization’s office. The formal pretext for the searches was a case against a man who is not a member of the organization.

The Novosibirsk Regional Court liquidated the local branch of the Party of People’s Freedom (PARNAS), while the «Movement of Nationalists» announced the dissolution of its structures in six regions due to a criminal case against the movement’s leader, Vladimir Basmanov.

Persecution of Human Rights Activists

In May, human rights defender and former member of the disbanded Memorial Human Rights Center, Bakrom Khamroev, was sentenced to 14 years in a penal colony for his human rights activities. Employees of the Perm branch of «Memorial» and a lawyer from the «Public Verdict» foundation were subjected to searches in a case related to an alleged attempt to smuggle cultural artifacts, as it was claimed that the human rights activists were trying to export the organization’s archive to Germany. Former head of the Perm branch of «Memoria», Robert Latypov, and member of the organization, Alexander Chernyshov, became suspects in the case. The latter is currently in pre-trial detention.

A criminal case has been initiated against human rights defender Nadezhda Nizovkina in Buryatia because she refused to testify against her client, Natalia Filonova. Svetlana Arshavskaya, an employee of a foundation in Orenburg that assists drug addicts, has been charged with illegal drug trafficking.

Another search took place at the office of the «Team against Torture, » this time in Krasnodar. Pressure is being exerted on human rights defenders in connection with a case against their client.

«Extremist Organizations»

In May, Russian courts issued at least three verdicts in cases related to involvement in «extremist organizations.» In all cases, the defendants were sentenced to non-custodial punishments. A resident of Dagestan, who identifies herself as a «citizen of the USSR, » received a suspended sentence, as well as Ivan Shulyuk, a Jehovah’s Witness from Krasnoyarsk. Significant fines were imposed on the co-religionists of Shulyuk from the Murmansk region, Yunona Ilyasova, and Alexey Eliseev.

Also this month, we were informed that criminal cases have been initiated against Jehovah’s Witnesses in Chuvashia, Samara region, and Crimea.

Repressions on the Territory of Annexed Crimea

In May, the Lefortovo Court in Moscow sent Lenie Umerova, a Ukrainian citizen who attempted to enter Crimea to visit her sick father, to a pretrial detention center (SIZO). The young woman was charged with espionage. Prior to the initiation of the criminal case, she spent several months at the Center for Temporary Detention of Foreign Citizens.

Four residents of Crimea were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 12 to 18 years in cases related to their alleged involvement with «Hizb ut-Tahrir.» Among the convicted individuals is Alexander Sizikov, a man with a disability classified as Group I. He was sentenced to 17 years of imprisonment in a high-security correctional colony, with the first four years to be served in prison.