Natalia Guseva
Natalia Guseva, born 1956, Chelyabinsk Oblast. Charges: Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries); “Natalia Guseva's case of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces”, opened on July 1, 2024. Sentenced on January 14, 2025; previously convicted under Article 207.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code. Status: at large.
In brief
Chelyabinsk Oblast · Zlatoust · Municipal deputies, Human rights defenders · Anti-war cases
Sentence
2 years
Ban on activity, Suspended prison sentence
No information about an appeal ruling.
Other verdicts
- February 6, 2024 — A fine in the amount of 700 thousand roubles
Charges
- Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries
- Article 207.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries
Full wording of the charges
The for the case was a comment in Odnoklassniki published in June 2023: a repost of a video with the title "Right! I have no right... I am not a Nazi!", the meaning of which "indicates categorical disagreement" with Putin's policy and the actions of the Russian Armed Forces. Guseva accompanied the video with a comment in which she agreed with the author's words: "Putin must immediately withdraw his troops from Ukraine, stop killing the Ukrainian people and Ukrainian statehood, as well as killing his own people and endangering the very statehood of Russia!" In May 2023, Guseva was fined 30,000 rubles under the administrative article on discrediting the army of the Russian Federation (part 1 of article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code) because of two anti-war posts in the same social network: about the need to stop the war and withdraw troops from the occupied territories, as well as about 59 children held by Russian servicemen in the basement of the village of Yagodnoye.
Latest event
January 14, 2025 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict: 2 years.
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 2 years
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
· Preventive measure: no preventive measure
· Criminal case opened
Natalia Guseva's case of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· Persecution begins
Natalya Guseva's case of "fakes" about the RF Armed Forces
Criminal case
Natalia Guseva's case of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces
- Case number
- 1-478/2024
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Natalya Guseva's case of "fakes" about the RF Armed Forces
- Case number
- 1-740/2023
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Details and sources
Full summary
Former coordinator of the Golos movement in the Chelyabinsk Region. For 16 years she was the head of the women's non-governmental organisation Civic Initiative, whose main target group was children. She was the head of the regional NGO "Centre for Social Partnership", a deputy of the Zlatoust City Assembly, from 2010 to 2012 she was a public assistant to the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Chelyabinsk region. On 5 October 2022, she was searched as a witness in the case of discrediting the Armed Forces, filed against Mikhail Gusev, the coordinator of Golos in Ivanovo. On 17 August 2023, Guseva was searched as a witness in the case of spreading "fakes" about the Armed Forces, which had already been initiated against her. On 6 February 2024, Guseva was sentenced to a fine of 700 thousand rubles. In May 2023, she was fined under an administrative article on discrediting the Armed Forces (Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences). Shortly thereafter, Guseva was attacked in the street, the attacker hit her several times in the face. Guseva believes that this is related to her activist activities. Only one of the attackers was charged with administrative beating. Guseva's son has disability group 3 and had part of his leg amputated. In July 2024, it became known that the case was initiated against Guseva for discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. On 14 January 2025, she recieved a two-year suspended sentence in this case.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- Preventive measures
- travel ban (written undertaking)
- Persecution episodes
- 2
Other people prosecuted under Article 207.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.