Artem Kamardin
Artem Kamardin, born 1990, Moscow. Charges: Article 280.4 part 3, Russian Criminal Code (Public calls for activities against state security (by an organized group)); Article 282 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Incitement of hatred or enmity (with violence, using official position, or by a group)); “The case of Artem Kamardin and Egor Shtovba”. Sentence (December 28, 2023): 7 years' imprisonment in a general regime colony. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since September 26, 2022; place of detention: Penal colony No. 4, Vladimir Oblast. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, December 1, 2022.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · Artists · Anti-war cases, Extremism cases, Cases related to mass actions
Sentence
7 years
imprisonment in a general regime colony
Upheld August 21, 2025
Charges
- Article 280.4 part 3, Russian Criminal Code — Public calls for activities against state security (by an organized group)
- Article 282 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Incitement of hatred or enmity (with violence, using official position, or by a group)
Full wording of the charges
The reason for the case was the poems read at the 'Mayakovsky readings' on 25 September. According to the ruling, a case of incitement to hatred towards 'members of volunteer armed formations of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics' was opened. At first, Kamardin was charged with incitement to hatred with the threat of violence (point 'a' of part 2 of article 282 of the Criminal Code), but then the charge was reclassified to incitement to hatred by an organised group (point 'c' of part 2 of article 282 of the Criminal Code) and also added a charge of calls for activities against the security of the state, committed by an organised group (part 3 of article 280.4 of the Criminal Code). As such, the investigation considered the calls not to take military draft orders, not to sign their receipt, not to appear in military enlistment offices, and to memorise the above. Meanwhile, Kamardin's lawyer Leonid Soloviev points out that, as it follows from the case materials, these phrases were uttered by another person, who is not under investigation.
Latest event
August 21, 2025 — cassation
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, December 1, 2022
Timeline
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Imprisonment begins
· Preventive measure: transfer between facilities
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Kirov Oblast
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Perm Krai
· Preventive measure: transfer between facilities
Pre-trial Detention Centre №2 (SIZO-2) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation for the Vologda Oblast
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 7 years
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Persecution begins
The case of Artem Kamardin and Egor Shtovba
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
Criminal case
The case of Artem Kamardin and Egor Shtovba
- Case number
- 01-0411/2023
Other defendants in the case
- Egor Shtovba — Imprisoned, 5 years 6 months
Thematic group: Anti-war case; The Mayakovsky case
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 4, Vladimir Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
601443, Владимирская область, г. Вязники, ул. Железнодорожная, д. 37, ФКУ «ИК № 4 УФСИН по Владимирской области», Камардин Артем Юрьевич, 1990 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
On 26 September 2022, the day after the "Mayakovsky Readings" on Triumfalnaya Square, special forces came to the flat where Kamardin and two other people were staying. The flat was searched, and all three were subjected to violence. According to Novaya Gazeta, Kamardin was beaten and raped by shoving a dumbbell up his anus. He was then forced to apologise on camera for a couplet he had recited on Triumfalnaya Square, 'Glory to Kievan Rus – Novorossiya, suck it'. After that, all three were taken to the investigation department of the Tverskoy district of Moscow, and the detainees, along with Kamardin, were released late in the evening. Kamardin was taken away by ambulance, but he was not admitted to the hospital and was taken to a temporary detention centre. On 28 September, the court sent him to custody. At first, Kamardin was charged with incitement to hatred with the threat of violence (paragraph 'a' of part 2 of article 282 of the Criminal Code), but then the charge was reclassified to incitement to hatred by an organised group (paragraph 'c' of part 2 of article 282 of the Criminal Code) and a charge of calls for activities against the security of the state, committed by an organised group (part 3 of article 280.4 of the Criminal Code) was added. On 28 December 2023, Kamardin was sentenced to seven years in a general regime colony. In the pre-trial detention centre, Kamardin was put on the preventive register 'as a person prone to committing terrorist and extremist offences'.
In March 2024, Kamardin was placed into an overcrowded cell in Butyrka prison – 26 arrestees for 22 beds. He is the only non-smoker in the cell, and his eyes hurt from the poor lighting.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 280.4 part 3, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.