Anastasia Berezhinskaya
Anastasia Berezhinskaya, born 1981, Moscow. Charges: Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Public incitement to terrorism or justification of terrorism (using media or the internet)); Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code (Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government…); Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries); “Anastasia Berezhinskaya's case of approval of Putin's assassination”. Sentence (November 14, 2024): 8 years' imprisonment in a general regime penal colony. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since June 1, 2025; place of detention: Penal colony No. 1, Vologda Oblast. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, June 16, 2025.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · Office workers · Anti-war cases, Terrorism cases
Sentence
8 years
imprisonment in a general regime penal colony
Upheld July 1, 2025
Charges
- Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Public incitement to terrorism or justification of terrorism (using media or the internet)
- 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 280.3 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, she published certain comments on the "VKontakte" social media, that contained approval or call for the assassination of Putin; without evidence she published allegations about "the destruction of civilians, torture and abuse, and the genocide of the Ukrainian nation"; in April 2023 she wrote about "the president, as the supreme commander of the Russian Armed Forces, committing treason, genocide, and war crimes, and the Russian army stealing foreign property and destroying infrastructure." In April 2022, Berezhinskaya was fined 30,000 roubles for an anti-war repost on "VKontakte" under the administrative article on discrediting the army (Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences).
Latest event
October 7, 2025 — imprisonment begins
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, June 16, 2025
Timeline
· Imprisonment begins
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 8 years
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
Anastasia Berezhinskaya's case of approval of Putin's assassination
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
Criminal case
Anastasia Berezhinskaya's case of approval of Putin's assassination
- Case number
- 1-230/2024
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 1, Vologda Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
160012 Вологодская область, г. Вологда, ул. Левичева д.1-а, ФКУ «ИК № 1 УФСИН России по Вологодской области», Бережинская Анастасия Александровна, 1981 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of Moscow, a film director. In May 2024, it became known that a case of public justification of terrorism was brought against her. Berezhinskaya was given a recognizance not to leave. Later was revealed that she was also charged with spreading deliberately false information about the Armed Forces and discrediting the Armed Forces. On 14 November 2024, Berezhinskaya was sentenced to eight years in a general regime penal colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.