Ian Katelevskii
Ian Katelevskii, born 1981, Moscow Oblast. Charges: Article 163 part 3 item b, Russian Criminal Code (Large-scale extortion with the view to obtain property); “Case of the "Rosderzhava" journalists Dorogov and Katelevskii”. Sentence (November 17, 2023): 9 years 6 months' imprisonment in a strict regime colony. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since July 29, 2020; place of detention: Penal colony No. 6, Ryazan Oblast. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as a political prisoner, March 22, 2022.
In brief
Moscow Oblast · Ramenskoye, Serpukhov · Journalists
Sentence
9 years 6 months
imprisonment in a strict regime colony
Upheld April 2, 2025
Charges
- Article 163 part 3 item b, Russian Criminal Code — Large-scale extortion with the view to obtain property
Full wording of the charges
The journalist and his colleague Aleksandr Dorogov are accused of extortion (Article 163, Part 3(b) of the Criminal Code) and insulting a public official (Article 319 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The case was opened in July 2020. According to the investigation, the journalists extorted 1.3 million roubles from traffic police officer Gorokhov in exchange for refusing to publish materials about him. Katelevskii was also charged in a case concerning damage to property motivated by hooliganism (Article 167, Part 2 of the Criminal Code): the investigation believed that he struck a car twice with his hand while it was stopped by Gorokhov for inspection. During the court proceedings, this charge was dropped against Katelevskii. According to the prosecutor, it was not possible to secure the victim’s appearance in court, and it was impossible to determine the amount of damage.
Latest event
April 2, 2025 — cassation
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial Human Rights Centre, March 22, 2022
Timeline
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 9 years 6 months
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №6 (SIZO-6) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation for the Moscow Oblast
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
· Persecution begins
Case of the "Rosderzhava" journalists Dorogov and Katelevskii
Criminal case
Case of the "Rosderzhava" journalists Dorogov and Katelevskii
- Case number
- 1-13/2023 (1-504/2022;)
Other defendants in the case
- Aleksandr Dorogov — Imprisoned, 10 years 6 months
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 6, Ryazan Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
390506, Рязанская область, Рязанский р-н, пос. Стенькино, ФКУ «ИК № 6 УФСИН России по Рязанской области», Кателевский Ян Николаевич, 1981 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
On 20 November 2019, a criminal case was opened concerning the intentional damage to a vehicle. No suspects were named; however, witnesses identified Katelevskii. On 20 April, after being extended three times, the case was suspended, allegedly due to the impossibility of identifying the accused. On 18 May, the prosecutor’s office overturned the suspension of the case.
On 21 May, a criminal case on extortion was opened against Katelevskii.
On 29 July, he was detained; during the detention he sustained an injury to his right ear and lost his hearing for two days.
On the same day, a criminal case was opened on insulting a representative of the authorities. The following day, he was remanded in custody by a court decision. On 7 August, while in a temporary detention facility (IVS), an undertaking not to leave was imposed in the extortion case.
On 17 August, the court changed Katelevskii’s preventive measure to house arrest. However, on the same day, Katelevsky was detained and taken to a police station to be acquainted with the materials of the extortion case. The undertaking not to leave in that case was cancelled, and on 19 August the court placed Katelevskii in custody.
During the court proceedings, the charge of damaging the vehicle was dropped against Katelevskii. According to the prosecutor, it was not possible to secure the victim’s appearance in court, and it was impossible to determine the amount of damage.
On 18 November 2023, Katelevskii was sentenced to nine and a half years in a strict-regime penal colony.
On 15 January 2026, the remaining part of Katelevskii’s sentence was replaced with serving the sentence in an open prison.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 163 part 3 item b, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.