Oleg Belousov
Oleg Belousov, born 1967, Saint Petersburg. Charges: Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code (Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government…); Article 280 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Public calls for extremism (using mass media or the internet)); “Oleg Belousov's case of "fakes" about the activities of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine”. Sentence (March 29, 2023): 5 years 6 months' imprisonment in a general regime penal colony with deprivation of the right to engage in activities… Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since June 27, 2022; place of detention: Penal colony No. 5, Kirov Oblast. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, July 19, 2022.
In brief
Saint Petersburg · Saint Petersburg · Anti-war cases, Extremism cases
Sentence
5 years 6 months
imprisonment in a general regime penal colony with deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to placing publications on the Internet for a period of 4 years
Upheld June 27, 2024
Charges
- Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code — Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries (based on political, ideological, racial, national or religious hatred or enmity, or on grounds of hatred or enmity in relation to any social group)
- Article 280 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Public calls for extremism (using mass media or the internet)
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, no later than 4 April he posted text messages in the social network "VKontakte" in the community "Peter's Diggers" containing in the form of true statements "deliberately false information about the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation against civilians during the special military operation in Ukraine", as well as posted messages containing "signs of accusations of a person holding a government position". In the post, which gave rise to a case of calls to extremism, Belousov accused Putin of war crimes.
Latest event
December 25, 2025 — imprisonment begins
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, July 19, 2022
Timeline
· Imprisonment begins
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 5 years 6 months
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Persecution begins
Oleg Belousov's case of "fakes" about the activities of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
Criminal case
Oleg Belousov's case of "fakes" about the activities of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine
- Case number
- 1-78/2023 (1-1114/2022;)
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 5, Kirov Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
613040, Кировская область, г. Кирово-Чепецк, ул. Овражная, 16, ФКУ «ИК № 5 УФСИН России по Кировской области», Белоусов Олег Васильевич, 1967 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
Resident of St. Petersburg. Describes himself as "a lover of wandering around with a metal detector looking for things near villages". He was involved in treasure hunting. On 27 June 2022 Belousov was detained and the next day taken into custody in a case of spreading deliberately false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In October, it became known that Belousov was also charged with calls to extremist activities. Belousov's son is a person with a disability. The investigation involved him as a witness in the case, so he was banned from meeting his father. On 29 March 2023 Belousov was sentenced to 5 and a half years in a penal colony. In the colony he was registered as prone to escape. He was also subject to several administrative bans, including being allowed to call only two phone numbers instead of five.
Belousov has a group three disability <because of an injured arm>, and in his letter he wrote that his health deteriorated in detention. He would like to see an osteopath who had helped him before.
Oleg Belousov also has an adult son, Daniil, as a dependent. Daniil has a developmental disability and needs constant care.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.