Ilia Azar
Ilia Azar, born 1984, Moscow. Charges: Article 284.1 part 3, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an undesirable organization); “The case of the founding the Deputies of Peaceful Russia association”. Sentenced on October 3, 2025. Status: not in Russia.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · Journalists · Cases against "foreign agents"
Sentence
4 years
Ban on activity, Imprisonment (in absentia)
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 284.1 part 3, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an undesirable organization
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, he is one of the founders of the Deputies of Peaceful Russia (DPR) association. The state prosecutor Altynova told the court that the case was based on two articles published on the website of the DPR in 2024 after the congress of the association had been held in Berlin: “The second congress of the association Deputies of Peaceful Russia took place in Berlin” and in the UK they held a session “Deputies of Peaceful Russia and Horizons in the UK: Protecting and Promoting the Interests of Russians”. According to the prosecution, these publications were prepared with the participation of all four defendants – Ilia Azar, Sergei Vlasov, Igor Glek and Elena Rusakova – “with the aim of recruiting new members” to the organisation.
Latest event
October 3, 2025 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict: 4 years.
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 4 years
· Preventive measure: arrest in absentia
· Persecution begins
The case of the founding the Deputies of Peaceful Russia association
· Added to the register of “foreign agents”
Criminal case
The case of the founding the Deputies of Peaceful Russia association
- Case number
- 01-0477/2025
Other defendants in the case
- Sergey Vlasov — Location unknown, 4 years
- Igor Glek — Not in Russia, 4 years
- Elena Rusakova — Not in Russia, 4 years
Details and sources
Full summary
He is a journalist at Novaya Gazeta Europe, formerly worked for Meduza and is a former Moscow municipal deputy. In February 2025, he was included in the register of “foreign agents”. On 23 April 2025, his mother’s house in Moscow was searched. A case was reported to have been initiated against Azar for organising the activities of an “undesirable” organisation: the investigation considers him to be one of the founders of the association Deputies of Peaceful Russia. On 23 May 2025, he was arrested in absentia.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- Preventive measures
- arrest in absentia
Other people prosecuted under Article 284.1 part 3, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.