Roman Gribov
Roman Gribov, born 1983, Kostroma Oblast. Charges: Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Public incitement to terrorism or justification of terrorism (using media or the internet)); Article 280 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Public calls for extremism (using mass media or the internet)); “Roman Gribov's case of calls to extremism and terrorism”. Sentence (March 31, 2026): 6 years in a general regime penal colony and a 2-year ban on publishing on the internet. Status: imprisoned. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, March 22, 2026.
In brief
Kostroma Oblast · Kostroma · Office workers · Anti-war cases, Terrorism cases, Extremism cases
Sentence
6 years
in a general regime penal colony and a 2-year ban on publishing on the internet
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Public incitement to terrorism or justification of terrorism (using media or the internet)
- Article 280 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Public calls for extremism (using mass media or the internet)
Full wording of the charges
The case was initiated because of two comments on Telegram: in the Liberty People channel in connection with the news about the proposal of a political scientist from the HSE (Higher School of Economics) to organise a demonstration nuclear explosion on the territory of Russia: "Great idea! To make everyone really scared, blow up Moscow with a nuclear explosion, preferably with the dickhead (meaning Vladimir Putin)"; in the chat channel "SverkhDerzhavChina" in connection with the publication of an interview of a former prisoner who joined the Wagner Group: "I suggest that we shoot or hang this category of citizens and forget about the problem."
Latest event
March 31, 2026 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict: 6 years.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, March 22, 2026
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for the Kostroma Oblast
· Persecution begins
Roman Gribov's case of calls to extremism and terrorism
Criminal case
Roman Gribov's case of calls to extremism and terrorism
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Write a letter
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
156005, г. Кострома, ул. Советская, д. 88, ФКУ СИЗО-1 УФСИН России по Костромской области, Грибов Роман Витальевич, 1983 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of Kostroma, a manager for the sale of car oils. On 2 July 2025, he was detained. According to him, they wrapped his hands with duct tape, put a black bag on his head and forced him to unlock his phone. Then he was taken to the FSB department in the Kostroma region, where an officer fixed his hands, poured water on his feet, threw him on the floor, plugged a bare wire into a socket, after which Gribov was tortured with electric current for an hour and a half. He was then taken for a search, then returned to the FSB, where he was beaten on the kidneys, after which, as he claims, he was given vodka and taken to the police station. At the police station, a policeman in the presence of witnesses suggested that he undergo an examination. Gribov agreed. But then, according to Gribov, the FSB officer demanded him to refuse the examination, and he refused. On 3 July, he was arrested for 13 days under the administrative article on refusal of medical examination (Article 6.9 of the Code of Administrative Offences).
On 15 July 2025, a case was brought against him for calls to extremism and terrorism. The reason was comments about a nuclear explosion in Moscow (in response to political scientist Dmitry Suslov's arguments about the need for a demonstration nuclear explosion on the territory of Russia) and the execution of prisoners recruited for war.
Gribov's brother said that on 30 December 2025, Roman found himself in the same cell with an FSB officer who had previously tortured him. Cellmates threatened Gribov with new criminal cases and the fate of neo-Nazi Maksim Martsinkevich, who was found dead in the pre-trial detention centre, if he never confessed guilt. Gribov was kept in this cell until 12 January 2026. In February 2026, it became known that cellmates persuaded him to admit guilt. These cellmates were then moved away from him, but a new inmate was placed in his cell and began trying to engage Gribov in conversations about prison subculture, political views and treason cases. The conversations continued during the walk with prisoners from neighbouring cells.
On 1 April 2026, the court sentenced Gribov to six years in a general regime 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.