Elena Abramova
Elena Abramova, born 1981, Saint Petersburg. Charges: Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries); “Elena Abramova's case of repeated discrediting of the Russian Armed Forces”. Sentence (March 25, 2025): 2 years' deprivation of liberty in a general regime penal colony with a ban on engaging in activities related to the… Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since August 25, 2023; place of detention: Penal colony No. 3, Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, May 28, 2025.
In brief
Saint Petersburg · Saint Petersburg · Anti-war cases, Cases related to mass actions
Sentence
2 years
deprivation of liberty in a general regime penal colony with a ban on engaging in activities related to the public spread of information on the activities of the Russian Armed Forces and Russian state agencies, including in information and telecommunication networks, including the Internet, as well as in holding meetings, rallies, demonstrations, marches, picketing and participation in them, for a period of 2.5 years
Upheld December 18, 2025
Charges
- Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, on June 4, she went to Gostiny Dvor with a poster "Freedom to Navalny! Freedom to political prisoners! No to war!" Later, another episode appeared in the case: a solitary picket on April 29, 2023 with the poster "A world without war. Russia without Putin", because of which Abramova was initially reported under Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences. In February 2023, Abramova was fined 30,000 rubles under the administrative article on discrediting the army (Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences) because of a picket with the poster "No War".
Latest event
December 18, 2025 — cassation
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, May 28, 2025
Timeline
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Imprisonment begins
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 2 years
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
· Preventive measure: ban on certain activities
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
TDF of the Department of Internal Affairs of Russia for Vasileostrovsky District of St. Petersburg
· Persecution begins
Elena Abramova's case of repeated discrediting of the Russian Armed Forces
Criminal case
Elena Abramova's case of repeated discrediting of the Russian Armed Forces
- Case number
- 1-328/2024
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 3, Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
187022, Ленинградская область район, пос. Форносово, ул. Дальная, д.1, ФКУ «ИК № 3 УФСИН России по Санкт-Петербургу и Ленинградской области», Абрамова Елена Арнольдовна, 1981 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
She is a resident of St. Petersburg, a translator. In August 2023, she was detained in connection with the initiation of a criminal case on discrediting the Armed Forces because of a solitary picket with a placard "FREEDOM TO NAVALNOMU! FREEDOM TO ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS NO WAR!". The court imposed a preventive measure in the form of a ban on certain actions. The investigation was completed in four days, but then resumed, after which another episode appeared in the case: a solitary picket on 29 April 2023 with the poster "A world without war. Russia without Putin", because of which Abramova was initially reported under Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences. The case was referred to the court, but on 21 December the court returned it to the prosecutor's office, considering that the law enforcers had violated the procedure for initiating criminal proceedings against a member of the election commission with the right to casting vote. In May 2024, the case was reopened. On 25 March 2025, Abramova was sentenced to two years in a general regime colony. On 4 August 2025, the court of appeal replaced the general regime colony with a settlement colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.