Grigorii Chkhartishvili (Boris Akunin)
Grigorii Chkhartishvili (Boris Akunin), born 1956, Moscow. Charges: Article 205.1 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Assisting in terrorist activities); Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Public incitement to terrorism or justification of terrorism (using media or the internet)); Article 330.1 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Violation of the procedure for activities of a foreign agent, committed by a person after being…); “The case against Boris Akunin for publicly justifying terrorism, involvement in attempts to violently change the constitutional order, and evading the obligations of a “foreign agent””. Sentence (July 14, 2025): 14 years' imprisonment in absentia, ban on administering websites for 4 years; previously convicted under Article 330.1 part 2, Russian Criminal Code. Status: not in Russia.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · Writers · Anti-war cases, Terrorism cases, Cases against "foreign agents"
Sentence
1 year
s imprisonment in absentia; taking the previous sentence into account, a total of 15 years' imprisonment in a high-security penal colony, in absentia.
Upheld January 26, 2026
Other verdicts
- July 14, 2025 — 14 years' imprisonment in absentia, ban on administering websites for 4 years
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 330.1 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Violation of the procedure for activities of a foreign agent, committed by a person after being persecuted for an administrative offence
- Article 205.1 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Assisting in terrorist activities
- Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Public incitement to terrorism or justification of terrorism (using media or the internet)
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, from February to August he made at least 76 publications online without indicating that they were produced by a "foreign agent".
Latest event
February 3, 2026 — appeal
The court upheld the verdict.
Timeline
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 1 year
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 14 years
· Criminal case opened
Boris Akunin's second case of evasion of his duties as a "foreign agent"
· Preventive measure: arrest in absentia
· Added to the register of “foreign agents”
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
Boris Akunin's case of "fakes" about the Russian Armed Forces and public justification of terrorism
Criminal case
Boris Akunin's second case of evasion of his duties as a "foreign agent"
- Case number
- 01-0009/371/2025
Boris Akunin's case of "fakes" about the Russian Armed Forces and public justification of terrorism
- Case number
- 1-372/2025
Thematic group: Anti-war case
The case against Boris Akunin for publicly justifying terrorism, involvement in attempts to violently change the constitutional order, and evading the obligations of a “foreign agent”
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Details and sources
Full summary
Japanologist Grigory Chkhartishvili, who writes detective novels and other works of fiction under the pen name Boris Akunin. In mid-December 2023, pro-Kremlin pranksters Vovan and Lexus published a recording of a conversation with him: they had contacted the writer while posing as representatives of the Ukrainian administration. In this video, Akunin “expressed understanding for Ukrainian Armed Forces strikes on Russian territory” and “pointed out that he had organised fundraising to help Ukraine,” Dozhd YouTube channel reported. After this, the publishing house AST announced it would stop publishing his books. On 18 December, it became known that a criminal case had been opened against Akunin for "fake news" about the army and for publicly justifying terrorism.
On 19 December, investigators carried out a search at "Zakharov" Publishing, which releases Akunin’s books. The head of the publishing house linked the search to the fact that "Zakharov" was the only publisher that had not announced the termination of cooperation with Akunin and had not withdrawn his books from sale.
In June 2025, a case against Akunin was brought to the court on charges of publicly justifying terrorism, facilitating terrorist activity (apparently referring to his statements that allegedly justified the violent overthrow of the constitutional order), and evading the obligations of a “foreign agent.” On 14 July 2025, Akunin was sentenced in absentia to 14 years in a penal colony in this case.
In October 2025, the prosecutor’s office approved an indictment in a new criminal case against Akunin for evading the obligations of a “foreign agent.”
On 3 December, the court issued a verdict in yet another case of evading “foreign-agent” requirements and sentenced Akunin to 15 years in a penal colony, to be served consecutively with the punishment from the previous case.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- United Kingdom, Russia
- Preventive measures
- arrest in absentia
- Persecution episodes
- 3
Other people prosecuted under Article 205.1 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.