Sergey Davidis
Sergey Davidis, born 1969, Moscow. Charges: Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Public incitement to terrorism or justification of terrorism (using media or the internet)); “Sergei Davidis' case on public justification of terrorism”. Sentence (August 19, 2025): 6 years' imprisonment in absentia. Status: not in Russia.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · Human rights defenders · Terrorism cases, Cases against "foreign agents"
Sentence
6 years
imprisonment in absentia
Upheld November 27, 2025
Charges
- 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 team, "supporting anti-Russian sentiments, having a disdainful, hostile and aggressive attitude towards the current executive and legislative authorities of the Russian Federation, in view of the special military operation by the Armed Forces of the state to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine, adhering to a position based on a false understanding and recognition of the ideology and practice of terrorism as a rightful tool to destabilize the activities of the authorities of the Russian Federation and to influence their decisions and as something that needed support and emulation, he wanted to make his position public and accessible to an unlimited number of people with the intention to justify terrorist activity and, being fully informed on the popularity of the social network Facebook, he formed a purpose to justify terrorism and carrying out terrorist acts on the territory of Russian Federation."
Latest event
November 27, 2025 — appeal
The court upheld the verdict.
Timeline
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years
· Preventive measure: arrest in absentia
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
Sergei Davidis' case on public justification of terrorism
Criminal case
Sergei Davidis' case on public justification of terrorism
Details and sources
Full summary
Resident of Moscow, human rights defender. After the liquidation of the organisation, he headed the project "Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial" project, which monitors political persecution in Russia and the assignment of political prisoner status. No later than November 2024, a case of public justification of terrorism was brought against Davidis because of him reposting on Facebook the news about 22 prisoners of war from the Ukrainian Azov regiment being recognized as political prisoners.
On August 19, 2025, the human rights defender was sentenced in absentia to six years in a general regime colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- Preventive measures
- arrest in absentia
Other people prosecuted under Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.