Political persecution in Russia
People persecuted in Russia on political grounds.
Top story
October 17, 2026
Pavel Syutkin: Six Years in Prison Over a Post About Bucha
A Moscow court sentenced culinary historian Pavel Syutkin to six years in a penal colony over posts about Bucha. The case involved raids, a closed trial and a disputed expert report. His defense has appealed.
News
11:30 PM
Ex-Duma deputy Oleg Mikhailov detained in Moscow on terrorism-justification charge
9:30 PM
Russian far-right publisher Dmitry Bastrakov placed on federal wanted list
7:30 PM
Police search Pskov apartment of journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva in army 'discreditation' case
4:30 PM
3:30 PM
Israel-Ukraine dual citizen barred from Russia over Instagram likes
October 21, 1:30 PM
Jailed geodesist Valery Kachin declares dry hunger strike in Izhevsk pre-trial detention center
October 21, 12:30 AM
Up to 12,000 North Koreans work forced labor at Alabuga drone plant
October 20, 1:30 PM
Omsk Prosecutor Summons Yabloko Leader Over 2011 Comment She Says She Never Wrote
October 20, 9:30 AM
Memorial Finds Staged Scenes in a Quarter of FSB Arrest Videos
Latest changes
- Status
case status: location unknown
known since October 22, 2026
- Status
case status: location unknown
known since October 22, 2026
- Transfer
place of detention: ФКУ «ИК № 6 УФСИН России по Тверской области» (previously: ФКУ «Тюрьма № 2 УФСИН по Владимирской области» «Владимирский централ»); place of detention: ФКУ «ИК № 6 УФСИН России по Тверской области»
known since October 22, 2026
- Transfer
place of detention: ФКУ «ИК № 9 УФСИН России по Омской области» (previously: ФКЛПУ ОБ-11 УФСИН России по Омской области); place of detention: ФКУ «ИК № 9 УФСИН России по Омской области»
known since October 22, 2026
- Status
status: imprisoned (previously: at large)
known since October 22, 2026
- Transfer
place of detention: ФКУ «ИК № 4 УФСИН России по Саратовской области» (previously: ФКУ «ИК № 8 УФСИН России по Удмуртской Республике»); place of detention: ФКУ «ИК № 4 УФСИН России по Саратовской области»
known since October 22, 2026
- Transfer
place of detention: ФКУ «ИК № 6 УФСИН России по Ставропольскому краю»
known since October 22, 2026
FACTUM stories
October 16, 2026
Alexander Skobov: From Soviet Psychiatric Hospitals to a 16-Year Prison Sentence
A Soviet-era dissident twice subjected to compulsory psychiatric treatment, Alexander Skobov is now serving a 16-year sentence in Russia. His case spans decades of opposition activism, terrorism-related charges and renewed punishment behind bars.
October 15, 2026
Three Years Since Navalny’s Lawyers Were Arrested: How Legal Defense Became a Criminal Case
Three years after the arrests of Alexei Navalny’s defense lawyers, Vadim Kobzev and Aleksei Liptser remain in prison, while Igor Sergunin has completed his sentence. The proceedings raise serious questions about legal privilege and the independence of the defense.
October 14, 2026
Russian ornithologist Sofya Rozenfeld was sentenced to three and a half years in prison over two 1,000-ruble donations to Navalny’s foundation. Her life, scientific work and case.
First-instance verdicts by year
- 422012
- 452013
- 672014
- 1182015
- 1162016
- 1362017
- 1412018
- 2062019
- 1902020
- 3812021
- 4932022
- 6822023
- 8922024
- 1,2042025
- 4992026*
- 2026*499
- 20251,204
- 2024892
- 2023682
- 2022493
* Persecution episodes with a first-instance verdict, by year of the verdict. 2026 is not over — data as of October 22, 2026.
Browse the database
- By Criminal Code article
- By region
- By type of case: Extremism cases · Terrorism cases · Anti-war cases · Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses · Cases related to mass actions · Cases against Hizb ut-Tahrir · Cases against Navalny/ACF supporters · Cases against "foreign agents"
- Recognised political prisoners
- Journalists