Usman Baratov
Usman Baratov, born 1958, Moscow. Charges: Article 321 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Use of violence or threat of violence against an employee of a place of deprivation of liberty or…); “Usman Baratov's case of desorganization of the work of a colony”, opened on March 1, 2025. Sentence (October 20, 2025): 1 year 8 months' imprisonment in a strict regime penal colony; previously convicted under Article 282 part 2 item v, Russian Criminal Code. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since July 13, 2024; place of detention: Penal colony No. 1, Tver Oblast. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, May 31, 2024.
In brief
Moscow, Novgorod Oblast · Moscow · Human rights defenders · Extremism cases
Sentence
1 year 8 months
imprisonment in a strict regime penal colony
Upheld February 5, 2026
Other verdicts
- August 28, 2025 — 3 years 2 months' imprisonment in a penal colony settlement
Charges
- Article 321 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Use of violence or threat of violence against an employee of a place of deprivation of liberty or place of detention.
- Article 282 part 2 item v, Russian Criminal Code — Incitement of hatred or enmity by an organized group
Full wording of the charges
The case was initiated because of the statement of the head of a unit in the colony, who claimed that during communication through the feeder of the punishment cell Baratov took away his video recorder and threw it at his chest, causing pain.
Latest event
February 5, 2026 — appeal
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, May 31, 2024
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
Timeline
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 1 year 8 months
· Preventive measure: temporary stay in hospital
· Cassation ruling
sentence changed · 3 years 2 months
· Criminal case opened
Usman Baratov's case of desorganization of the work of a colony
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 4 years
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №5 (SIZO-5) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation for the Moscow Oblast
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
Usman Baratov's case on incitement to hatred
Criminal case
Usman Baratov's case on incitement to hatred
- Case number
- 1-150/2024
Usman Baratov's case of desorganization of the work of a colony
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 1, Tver Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
170017, Тверская область, г. Тверь, пос. Большие Перемерки д. 18, ФКУ «ИК № 1 УФСИН России по Тверской области», Баратов Усман Акрамович, 1958 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
Head of the Vatandosh Interregional Uzbek Community. By order of the head of the Investigative Committee, a criminal case of incitement to hatred was opened against him because of a post on Odnoklassniki (social media platform), where under a news article about the rise in egg prices in Russia there was a comment with a picture of chickens captioned "No damn way you'll buy these eggs now! Bring back the roosters from the battlefield." Baratov claimed that his page had been hacked and this post was published by another person. On 19 January 2024, he was taken into custody. On 12 August 2024, he was sentenced to four years in a general regime colony.
In March 2025, it became known that a case of work disorganization in the (correctional) institution was brought against Baratov in the colony: the reason was the statement of the head of the unit, who claimed that during communication through the feeder of the Punishment Isolation Cell (SHIZO) Baratov snatched away his video recorder and threw it at his chest, causing pain.
On 28 August 2025, the court of appeal reduced Baratov's sentence in the hate speech case to three years and two months in a penal colony settlement.
On 20 October 2025, the court sentenced him to a year and eight months in a strict regime colony in the case of disorganisation of the colony's activities.
All fields of the record
- Persecution episodes
- 2
Other people prosecuted under Article 282 part 2 item v, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.