Coalition to free the Kremlin’s political prisoners

Activatica.org (Estonia)

Article 20 (Russia)

Euromaidan SOS (Ukraine)

Free Russia Foundation (U.S., Russia, Ukraine, Georgia)

Human Rights Foundation (United States)

Action for Post-Soviet Jewry (United States)

Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice (United States)

Center for Civil Liberties (Ukraine)

McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University (United States)

Solidarus (Germany)

Union of Council for Jews in the Former Soviet Union (United States)

Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights (Canada)

NEP Prague (Czech Republic)

The Kremlin’s Political Prisoners: The Case of Aleksandr Atamanov

Jun 19 2020

In accordance with international guidelines defining the term, Memorial Human Rights Center considers Aleksandr Atamanov, a resident of Pyatigorsk, a political prisoner. Aleksandr was charged with recruiting people into the Ukrainian Right Sector and possessing drugs. The guilt of Aleksandr Atamanov has not been proved and key pieces of evidence in the case were fabricated. Aleksand repeatedly said that violence was used against him in pre-trial custody and threats were made against his relatives. More

Aleksandr Atamanov, who worked as a freight handler in Pyatigorsk, has been charged under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Russian Criminal Code with recruiting others to take part in the activities of an extremist organization; and acquiring and possessing large amounts of drugs under Part 2 of Article 228 of the Russian Criminal Code.

According to the investigators, on December 23, 2018 Atamanov allegedly shouted slogans of the Right Sector, an organization banned and designated as extremist in Russia, and also distributed leaflets and urged passers-by to join the organization.

On March 21, 2019 Atamanov was detained for petty hooliganism (Article 20.1 of the Code of Administrative Violations), allegedly because of using swear words, and at the same time, according to investigators, drugs were found on him. After he had served a jail term for the administrative offence, he was detained for a criminal offence, and since March 25, 2019 he has been held under arrest.

Pyatigorsk town court has been hearing the Atamanov’s case and will soon deliver its verdict.

Why does Memorial Human Right Center consider Atamanov a political prisoner?

We believe that the Atamanov’s prosecution is part of a Kremlin’s anti-Ukrainian campaign. The charges against Atamanov were based on events which simply did not take place; the evidence was falsified.

The political motivation for the prosecution is based on the position taken by Russia regarding the armed conflict in the east of Ukraine. Russia denies its involvement in the conflict, but in the meantime takes a clear anti-Ukrainian position. Kremlin’s assistance provided to anti-Ukrainian military groups in the east of Ukraine, statements by Russian officials, government propaganda, and the ban on Ukrainian nationalist organizations indicate active involvement of the Russian authorities in the armed conflict in Donbass. Since 2017, a campaign has been underway in Russia to prosecute supporters of the Right Sector. Atamanov has been among the victims of this campaign, although his links with the organization have not been proved.

It seems that the prosecution was the result of a number of factors: a personal conflict, slander, and the desire of law enforcement officers to improve their statistics for combating extremist organizations. The charges of hooliganism and drugs were probably used to isolate Atamanov and put pressure on him.

The case materials show signs of the falsification of evidence – for example, Atamanov’s arrest was made under very unusual circumstances where the key pieces of evidence were discovered immediately. Witnesses’ written testimonies match each other very closely, which leads to believe that they were directed by the law enforcement officers on the case. According to the case documents, Atamanov’s phone was under surveillance since November 2018, but the law enforcement wasn’t able to collect any evidence of his involvement with the Right Sector. There is no convincing evidence of guilt.

The charge of recruiting for Right Sector is unlawful itself, since the organization was designated extremist on the basis of very weak arguments and in gross violation of fundamental legal procedures.

Memorial Human Rights Center urges the Russian authorities to immediately drop the charges against Atamanov for an offence under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Russian Criminal Code; to conduct an impartial investigation in relation to charges under Part 2 of Article 228 of the Russian Criminal Code, and to investigate reports of the use of violence and threats against Atamanov.

The Kremlin’s Political Prisoners: The Case of Aleksei Bessarabov and Vladimir Dudka

Jun 12 2020

According with international guidelines and definitions, Memorial Human Rights Center considers two residents of Sevastopol, Crimea Aleksei Bessarabov and Vladimir Dudka political prisoners. More

The two men were criminally prosecuted because of their previous occupation (both were retired Ukrainian naval officers) and because they both had strong continuing links with Ukraine. The prosecution was conducted with a use of torture and fabricated evidence in violation of the rights of the defendants to legal representation and a fair trial. Memorial Human Rights Center calls for the immediate release of Bessarabov and Dudka.

Aleksei Bessarabov is a journalist and Vladimir Dudka is an engineer at the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. They are both residents of Sevastopol and former Ukrainian naval officers who had retired a few years prior to the Russian annexation of Crimea.

On November 9, 2016 the two were detained by FSB officers. Both were charged with preparing acts of sabotage in Sevastopol upon instructions of the military intelligence of Ukraine.

On April 4, 2019 Sevastopol City Court sentenced Bessarabov and Dudka to 14 years in a strict-regime prison colony and fined both for 300,000 rubles and 350,000 rubles, respectively, for offences under Article 30, Section 1 of the Russian Criminal Code in association with Article 281, Section 2, Part A of the Russian Criminal Code (‘preparing acts of sabotage as part of an organized group’) and Article 222.1, Section 3 of the Russian Criminal Code (‘illegal possession of improvised explosive devices as part of an organized group’).

According to the FSB, at the behest of Ukrainian military intelligence Bessarabov and Dudka prepared to blow up TV and radio transmitters and fuel warehouses belonging to the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol.

Why Memorial Human Rights Center considers Bessarabov and Dudka political prisoners

The authorities did not allow the suspects to see either their families or lawyers for more than a week after they were arrested. Subsequently, the suspects related in detail how FSB officers tortured them with electric shockers and forced them to self-incriminate in front of a video camera during that time.

Main government-controlled TV channels used cuts from those “video confessions” as proof of the crimes of the “Kiev Junta”’ Later, the FSB was forced to withdraw charges laid in many similar cases in Crimea that were accompanied by similar video “confessions” (for example, the cases of Vladimir Prisich and Redvan Suleimanov). Therefore, it is impossible to consider that evidence as a proof of the guilt.

In our opinion, the FSB failed to present significant evidence of the alleged offences. For example, the explosive devices found in a hidden cache bear no traces of the DNA of the defendants. Despite the fact that the two men were under video surveillance and their phones were tapped, the authorities were unable to catch them “red-handed.” The evidence in the case contains no video or audio recordings that even tangentially confirm the preparation of acts of sabotage.

There are also strong grounds to suggest that the correspondence on the Viber messenger app cited as evidence was fabricated, and the special phones, allegedly used to conduct this correspondence, were planted.

We believe that the Russian authorities fabricated the case against Bessarabov and Dudka for the purpose of propaganda as part of a long-term campaign to depict Ukraine and its citizens as enemies.

The Kremlin’s Political Prisoners: The Case of Sergei Mokhnatkin

May 29 2020

On May 28, 2020, Russian civil and human rights activist Sergei Mokhnatkin died at the age of 66. Mokhnatkin died in a hospital suffering from complications from a spinal injury received in prison.

Sergei Mokhnatkin first came to prominence in 2009. He was arrested on December 31, 2009 during a protest organized by Strategy 31, an organization that arose in defense of the rapidly disappearing right of freedom of peaceful assembly, enshrined in Article 31 of Russia’s Constitution. He was charged under the Part 2 of Article 318 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (‘The use of violence threatening a life and health of a government official’) and sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison. Later, Mokhnatkin was recognized as a political prisoner by the Memorial Human Rights Center. He was pardoned by then-President Dmitry Medvedev in April 2012, one month before Vladimir Putin returned to the presidency.

Sergei Mokhnatkin was arrested again on December 31, 2013 at another Strategy 31 protest in Moscow. In December 2014, he was charged under the Part 1 of Article 318 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (‘The use of violence against a representative of power that is not dangerous to life and health’) and sentenced to 4.5 years in a strict-regime prison.

While in prison, Mokhnatkin held several hunger strikes protesting conditions he faced in the penitentiary, including what he said were regular beatings by prison guards. In March 2016 prison guards’ beating led to a spine injury which he suffered the rest of his life.

During Mokhnatkin’s term in prison, the third sentence was added over supposedly insulting a representative of the authorities (Article 319 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) in June 2016. An additional two months and three days’ prison term was added to his sentence. Although this was reduced at appeal level to one month, the conditions of his imprisonment were made even harsher.

The fourth criminal prosecution was brought in March 2017 over the episode during which Mokhnatkin received his severe spine injury. The prison administration claimed that Mokhnatkin had shown resistance and had hit a guard, although Sergei claimed that he himself had been beaten. Mokhnatkin was sentenced to additional two years’ imprisonment on a charge of ‘disorganizing of the work of correctional institutions: the use of violence against prison staff that is not dangerous to life and health.’

Sergei Mokhnatkin was released on December 14, 2018. By the time of his release, Mokhnatkin, who actively participated in opposition and human rights activities, headed a branch of the human rights movement For Human Rights in the city of Tver. In 2012 Sergei Mokhnatkin became a laureate of the Moscow Helsinki Group Prize “For Courage in Protecting Human Rights”.

The Memorial Human Right Center has repeatedly condemned disproportionate measures against Mokhnatkin, pointing out that he was methodically and brutally punished for insignificant acts of violence against government officials, including some that probably did not happen.

In the end of November 2019 Mokhnatkin was hospitalized due to a complication from a spinal injury that he received in 2016 in a correctional colony in the Arkhangelsk region. By that time, Sergei had already undergone a spinal surgery. In December 2019, he underwent another spinal surgery and his condition worsened. Sergei Mokhnatkin died in the hospital’s ICU due to complications after the surgery.

The Kremlin’s Political Prisoners: Prosecution of Crimean Tatars

May 22 2020

The Crimean Tatars are a Muslim ethnic minority indigenous to the Crimean Peninsula. They have been among the most vocal critics of the Russian occupation of Crimea, and as a result, the Russian authorities have relentlessly persecuted them.

The persecution has included harassment, intimidation, threats, intrusive and unlawful searches, physical attacks, and enforced disappearances. Russian authorities have also banned Tatar media and organizations that criticized the occupation, including the Mejlis, the Tatar’s self-governing body. Crimean Tatars are also frequently subjected to baseless criminal charges resulting in arbitrary detention – usually separatism, for criticizing Russia’s actions in Crimea; extremism, for political activity; or terrorism, for associating with the religious/political organization Hizb ut-Tahrir al Islami (Hizb ut-Tahrir).

Since 2015, Russian authorities have arrested at least 68 Crimean Tatars on charges of involvement with the Islamist movement Hizb ut-Tahrir banned as a terrorist organization in Russia since 2003 but not proscribed in Ukraine, nor in most of Europe. They were arrested on charges of participating in (Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, up to 20 years in prison) or organizing a terrorist group (Part 1 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, maximum punishment is at lifetime sentence), solely for acts – often in private – of expression, assembly, opinion, or religious and political belief that the Russian authorities claim constitute participation in the terrorist organization.

Neither the decision of the Russian Supreme Court, nor the materials of criminal cases in Russia and other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States indicate concrete facts that the organization engages in terrorism or any other kind of violent activities. Nor is there any information to show the involvement of the organization in the activities of extremist jihadist groups in Europe or the Middle East.

Memorial Human Rights Center has repeatedly stated that it does not agree with the decision of the Supreme Court to designate Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terrorist organization and considers the decision to be unjustified.

We are presenting a list of Crimean Tatars prosecuted for their involvement in the Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami organization in the annexed Crimea.

The case of four from Sevastopol (arrested in 2015)

Ruslan Zeytullaev was arrested on January 23, 2015. On April 26, 2017, Zeytullaev was convicted under Part 1 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 12 years in prison, but the prosecutor’s office appealed against the court decision and ensured that in the appeal the Zeytullaev’s term was increased to 15 years in a strict regime penal colony.
Ferat Sayfullaev was arrested on April 2, 2015. On September 7, 2016, Sayfullaev was convicted under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 5 years in a general regime penal colony. On March 31, 2020 was released after serving his sentence.
Rustem Vaitov was arrested on January 23, 2015. On September 7, 2016, Vaitov was convicted under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 5 years in a general regime penal colony. On January 22, 2020 was released after serving his sentence.
Yuri Primov was arrested on January 23, 2015. On September 7, 2016, Primov was convicted under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 5 years in a general regime penal colony. On January 22, 2020 was released after serving his sentence.

The case of six from Yalta (arrested in 2016)

Muslim Aliev was arrested on February 11, 2016. Charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5, Part 2 of Article 35, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Sentenced to 19 years in a strict regime penal colony with one-year restriction of freedom after release.
Refat Alimov was arrested on April 18, 2016. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 2 of Article 35, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Sentenced to 8 years in a strict regime penal colony with one-year restriction of freedom after release.
Enver Bekirov was arrested on February 11, 2016. Charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5, Part 2 of Article 35, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Sentenced to 18 years in a strict regime penal colony with one-year restriction of freedom after release.
Arsen Dzhepparov was arrested on April 18, 2016. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 2 of Article 35, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Sentenced to 7 years in a strict regime penal colony with one-year restriction of freedom after release.
Emir-Usain Kuku was arrested on February 11, 2016. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 2 of Article 35, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Sentenced to 12 years in a strict regime penal colony with one-year restriction of freedom after release.
Vadim Siruk was arrested on February 11, 2016. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 2 of Article 35, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Sentenced to 12 years in a strict regime penal colony with one-year restriction of freedom after release.

The case of four from Bakhchisaray (arrested in 2016)

Enver Mamutov was arrested on May 12, 2016. On December 24, 2018, he was sentenced under Part 1 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 16 years and 9 months in a strict regime penal colony.
Rustem Abiltarov was arrested on May 12, 2016. On December 24, 2018, he was sentenced under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 8 years and 9 months in a strict regime penal colony.
Zevri Abseitov was arrested on May 12, 2016. On December 24, 2018, he was sentenced under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 8 years and 9 months in a strict regime penal colony.
Remzi Memetov was arrested on May 12, 2016. On December 24, 2018, he was sentenced under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 8 years and 9 months in a strict regime penal colony.

The case of five from Simferopol (arrested in 2016)

Teymur Abdullaev was arrested on October 12, 2016. Charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 16 years and 6 months in a strict regime penal colony with 1.5 years of restriction of freedom after release.
Uzeyir Abdullaev was arrested on October 12, 2016. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 12 years and 6 months in a strict regime penal colony.
Rustem Ismailov was arrested on October 12, 2016. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 13 years and 6 months in a strict regime penal colony.
Ayder Saledinov was arrested on October 12, 2016. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 11 years and 6 months in a strict regime penal colony.
Emil Dzhemadenov was arrested on October 12, 2016. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 11 years and 6 months in a strict regime penal colony.

The case of eight from Bakhchisaray (detained in 2017)

Marlen Asanov was arrested on October 11, 2017. Charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing a life imprisonment.
Server Zekiryaev was arrested on October 11, 2017. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Ernes Ametov was arrested on October 11, 2017. Charged Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Timur Ibragimov was arrested on October 11, 2017. Charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing a life imprisonment.
Seyran Saliev was arrested on October 11, 2017. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Memet Belyalov was arrested on October 11, 2017. Charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing a life imprisonment.
Server Mustafayev was arrested on May 21, 2018. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Eden Smailov was arrested on May 21, 2018. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.

The case of Enver Seitosmanov

Enver Seitosmanov was arrested on May 10, 2018. He was sentenced under Part 1 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 17 years in a strict regime penal colony with one-year restriction of freedom after release.

The case of three from Oktyabrskoe village (detained in 2019)

Eskender Abdulganiev was arrested on February 14, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Rustem Emiruseinov was arrested on February 14, 2019. Charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing a life imprisonment.
Arsen Abkhairov was arrested on February 14, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.

The case of twenty-four from Simferopol (detained in 2019)

Enver Ametov was arrested on March 27, 2019 Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Tofig Abdulgaziev was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Seytveli Seytabdiev was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Rustem Seythalilov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Akim Bekirov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Farhat Bazarov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing a life imprisonment.
Server Gaziev was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Seyran Murtaza was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Erfan Osmanov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Ruslan Suleymanov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing a life imprisonment.
Rustem Sheikhaliev was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Alim Kerimov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Medzhit Abdurakhmanov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Yashar Muedinov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Bilyal Adilov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Dzhemil Gafarov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Riza Izetov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing a life imprisonment.
Izzet Abdullaev was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Asan Yanikov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Shaban Umerov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing a life imprisonment.
Osman Arifmemetov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Ramsey Bekirov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing a life imprisonment.
Vladlen Abdulkadyrov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Raim Aivazov was arrested on March 27, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.

The case of three from Belogorsk (detained in 2019)

Riza Omerov was arrested on June 10, 2019. Charged under Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Enver Omerov was arrested on June 10, 2019. Charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing a life imprisonment.
Ayder Dzhapparov was arrested on June 10, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5, Part 1 of Article 30, and Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.

The case of five from Alushta and Simferopol districts (detained in 2019)

Eskender Suleimanov was arrested on June 10, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Ruslan Nagaev was arrested on June 10, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Eldar Kantimirov was arrested on June 10, 2019. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Ruslan Mesutov was arrested on June 10, 2019. Charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing a life imprisonment.
Lenur Khalilov was arrested on June 10, 2019. Charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing a life imprisonment.

The case of five from Bakhchisaray (detained in 2020)

Osman Seytumerov was arrested on March 11, 2020. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Seytumer Seytumerov was arrested on March 11, 2020. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Rustem Seytmemetov was arrested on March 11, 2020. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Amet Suleymanov was placed under house arrest on March 12, 2020. Charged under Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.
Seytumer Seytumerov was charged under Part 1 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. He is facing a life imprisonment. He remains at large.

The Free Russia Foundation strongly condemns persecution of activists and human rights defenders in occupied Crimea and demands that the Russian Federation government immediately cease (1) its unlawful suppression and obstruction of civil, journalists, and human rights activities; and (2) its use of Russia’s “anti-extremism and anti-terrorism” legislation in the occupied territory, in violation of international humanitarian law, in order to persecute individuals for their public, legal, human rights activities, and religious believes.

Please sign the global petition to the UN, the Council of Europe, the European Union, and the OSCE to save the lives of thousands of illegally detained in Russia, the Russian-occupied Crimea, and part of the Donbas from the threat of COVID-19 infection in prisons.

The Kremlin’s Political Prisoners: The Case of Artpodgotovka

May 15 2020

Memorial Human Rights Center recognized Oleg Dmitriev, Oleg Ivanov, and Sergei Ozerov, supporters of a group called Artpodgotovka, convicted of preparing a terrorist act in the center of Moscow on November 5, 2017, as political prisoners.

Oleg Dmitriev, Oleg Ivanov, and Sergei Ozerov, who arrived in Moscow from different regions to take part in a so-called “Revolution 5.11.17” – a protest rally across the country announced by an opposition politician Vyacheslav Maltsev. Dmitriev, Ivanov, and Ozerov have been convicted on charges of committing a crime under Article 30, Section 1A and Article 205, Section 2 of the Russian Criminal Code (“Preparations to commit an act of terrorism by a group by prior agreement”) and sentenced to eight, seven, and eight years in a strict-regime prison respectively, with one year restriction of freedom after release. All three argue that they are completely innocent and became victims of a provocation of special services. They have been held in custody since November 2, 2017.

According to investigators, the terrorist attack was supposed to happen “on November 5, 2017 in the city of Moscow during an unauthorized rally <…> by setting government buildings and critical infrastructure of the Russian Federation on fire, as well as attacking law enforcement officers on duty.” 13 bottles of gasoline and 2 bottles of “Solvent 646” were to be used to commit that crime.

After analyzing materials of the criminal case, Memorial Human Rights Center came to the conclusion that this case was probably fabricated and prosecution was a complete failure. Neither the investigation nor the court were able to specify exactly which facilities the defendants were allegedly planning to set on fire, while a description of actions that they supposedly had committed did not match the definition of “terrorism” from the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

There is a reason to believe with very high probability that the criminal case was completely fabricated, and defendants became victims of provocation by law enforcement agencies. Two letters written by Oleg Dmitriev (Ivanov and Ozerov co-authored the second letter) were published on the OVD-Info website where he outlined their version of the events. In those letters, defendants stated that they did not prepare and store Molotov cocktails, did not intend to use them for any kind of attacks, and have been victims of a provocation. This is confirmed, in particular, by the fact that there were no fingerprints on 12 of the 15 bottles.

According to defendants, an individual named Vadim Mayorov, who lived with them in a rented apartment and allegedly escaped from the security forces during the detention, as well as Maltsev’s colleague Nadezhda Petrova (also known as Belova), were special service informants from the very beginning, who secretly brought those bottles in the apartment’s balcony. All three defendants adhered to this version of an event during their trial.

At the trial, Memorial Human Rights Center staff member Daria Kostromina witnessed a crude fabrication of the case during an interrogation of a secret witness “Maxim Maximov”, who, under questioning, repeated answers suggested to him by a prompter. The testimony of this very “witness” was practically the only evidence presented to the court that the defendants intended to set fire to facilities. But even these testimonies did not contain an exact list of facilities that defendants were planned to set on fire, which is surprising, given that the accused allegedly seriously prepared a terrorist act.

Since the time the defendants were detained, their rights were crudely violated. In particular, Dmitriev claims that after his arrest he was tortured with an electric shocker. All three have been unlawfully restricted in their right to correspondence. Letters and money transfers from relatives, friends and supporters have not been delivered. These are illegal means of influencing the defendants.

Considering all the above facts, Memorial Human Rights Center recognizes Oleg Dmitriev, Oleg Ivanov, and Sergey Ozerov as political prisoners and demands their immediate release. We also demand to investigate human rights violations on November 5, 2017 and during the preceding period, including bringing law enforcement officers responsible for this to justice.

Memorial Human Rights Center continues to monitor the persecution of those accused of preparing the “Revolution of 5.11.17,” which began in the fall of 2017 and manifested in the initiation of dozens of criminal cases, including on charges of terrorism and preparing for riots. After studying materials of criminal cases available to us, we came to a conclusion that a significant number of the accused are innocent or have no relationship whatsoever to Maltsev or to the Artpodgotovka group that is banned in Russia.

The five people who fell victims to this campaign were previously recognized by Memorial Human Rights Center as political prisoners due to their innocence and fabrication of their criminal cases. These are three residents of Rostov-on-Don, Yan Sidorov, Vladislav Mordasov and Vyacheslav Shashmin, prosecuted for trying to organize a riot by holding a peaceful picket, a resident of Krasnoyarsk Roman Maryan, who allegedly planned to take part in a riot, and Vyacheslav Shatrovsky convicted for using violence against a police officer during his arrest on Moscow’s Pushkin Square. Such different cases are united by the obvious political commitment of the investigation, inadequate accusations, violations of the rights of the defendants and convicted, as well as an intention to present the events of November 5, 2017 not as a peaceful rally, but as an attempt to carry out an armed rebellion.