Mariia Kartasheva
Mariia Kartasheva, born 1993, Moscow. Charges: Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code (Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government…); “Case of a woman who emigrated to Canada about "fakes" about the Russian Armed Forces”. Sentence (October 2, 2025): 6 years 10 months' of imprisonment in absentia with a ban on administering websites for 2 years 10 months. Status: not in Russia.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · IT specialists · Anti-war cases
Sentence
6 years 10 months
of imprisonment in absentia with a ban on administering websites for 2 years 10 months
First instance, November 24, 2023: 8 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)
Full wording of the charges
The case was initiated because of a post in a Telegram channel about the events in Bucha.
Latest event
October 2, 2025 — cassation
The court changed the sentence to 6 years 10 months.
Timeline
· Cassation ruling
sentence changed · 6 years 10 months
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 8 years
· Preventive measure: arrest in absentia
· Persecution begins
Case of a woman who emigrated to Canada about "fakes" about the Russian Armed Forces
Criminal case
Case of a woman who emigrated to Canada about "fakes" about the Russian Armed Forces
- Case number
- 01-0474/2023
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Details and sources
Full summary
She left Russia about three years ago. She learned about the criminal case from her mother, who lives in Vladivostok; investigators called her. The case was opened in Moscow, and she was placed on the wanted list. Details are unknown. She speculated that her pickets outside the Russian Embassy in Canada may have been the reason, but it later emerged that the case was opened because of a Telegram post about the events in Bucha. On April 24, 2023, Kartasheva was arrested in absentia. On November 24, 2023, she was sentenced in absentia to eight years. Kartasheva later said that the verdict, for some unknown reason, mentioned Maxim Katz, who had previously been sentenced to the same term under the same article, and also stated that her YouTube channel was viewed by many people, even though she does not have a YouTube channel. From this, she concluded that the court "simply copied" portions of the Katz verdict into her own. On March 21, 2024, the appellate court overturned the verdict and remanded the case for a new trial. On July 1, 2024, Kartasheva was sentenced in absentia to seven years' imprisonment.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- Preventive measures
- arrest in absentia
Other people prosecuted under Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.