Ruslan Bayazitov
Ruslan Bayazitov, born 1970, Tatarstan. Charges: Article 282 part 2 item a, Russian Criminal Code (Incitement of hatred or enmity with the use of violence or the threat of violence); “Ruslan Bayazitov's case of incitement to hatred”. Sentence (February 17, 2025): 5 years' imprisonment in a general regime colony. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since August 25, 2023; place of detention: Penal colony No. 8, Tatarstan. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, July 16, 2025.
In brief
Tatarstan · Kazan · Entrepreneurs · Extremism cases
Sentence
5 years
imprisonment in a general regime colony
Upheld April 25, 2025
Charges
- Article 282 part 2 item a, Russian Criminal Code — Incitement of hatred or enmity with the use of violence or the threat of violence
Full wording of the charges
The reason for the prosecution were the words of the businessman spoken in a non-public voice chat - the man in the video says that he "hates Russians", explaining that he does not mean all Russians, but only those who support the "Special military operation" (also known in Russia as abbreviating "SVO"). The video was published in the Telegram channel of the head of the Safe Internet League, Ekaterina Mizulina; according to her, she also wrote denunciations to the Investigative Committee and the Interior Ministry.
Latest event
July 16, 2025 — recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, July 16, 2025
Timeline
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 5 years
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
Ruslan Bayazitov's case of incitement to hatred
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for the Republic of Tatarstan
Criminal case
Ruslan Bayazitov's case of incitement to hatred
- Case number
- 1-406/2024
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 8, Tatarstan
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
423450, РТ, г. Альметьевск, ул. Базовая, 26, ФКУ ИК № 8 УФСИН России по Республике Татарстан, Баязитов Руслан Марсович, 1970 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
A businessman from Kazan, founder of "MELT" - a company operating in the market of computer equipment and internet communications, and a number of other companies. In 2023 he was arrested for 14 days under the article on demonstration of prohibited symbols and fined 30,000 under the article on discrediting the army for anti-war statements. In August 2023 it became known that a case of incitement to hatred was brought against Bayazitov. The reason was a conversation in a video-chat, during which he, being drunk, said that he would gladly kill supporters of the war. He partially pleaded guilty, but noted that the recording was posted on the Internet without his knowledge. On 22nd July 2024, during one session in the case, the court arrested the accounts of Bayazitov's wife for 600.000 rubles. On 17th February 2025, Bayazitov was sentenced to five years in a general regime colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 282 part 2 item a, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.