Dmitry Kolezev
Dmitry Kolezev, born 1984, 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…); “Dmitry Kolezev's case of "fakes" about the RF Armed Forces”. Sentence (August 6, 2024): Sentenced in absentia to seven and a half years in a penal colony and a three-year prohibition on activities. Status: not in Russia.
In brief
Moscow, Sverdlovsk Oblast · Yekaterinburg, Moscow · Journalists · Anti-war cases, Cases against "foreign agents"
Sentence
7 years 6 months
Sentenced in absentia to seven and a half years in a penal colony and a three-year prohibition on activities
Upheld October 2, 2025
Charges
- Article 330.1 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Violation of the procedure for activities of a foreign agent, committed by a person after being persecuted for an administrative offence
- 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
According to Kommersant, the reason for the case was an April Instagram post about the killing of civilians in Bucha. Initially, it was reported that the case involved spreading 'fakes' using his official position. However, the charge was later reclassified to spreading 'fakes' with a hate motive. Despite two expert examinations finding no signs of hatred in Kolesev's statements, the investigator apparently believed there were such motives. The investigator concluded this based on an analysis of Kolesev's interview with journalist Alexander Pluschev, in which Kolesev did not deny the existence of such motives.
Latest event
October 2, 2025 — cassation
The court upheld the verdict.
Timeline
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Criminal case opened
Dmitry Kolezev's case on evasion of duties as a "foreign agent"
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 7 years 6 months
· Preventive measure: arrest in absentia
· Added to the register of “foreign agents”
· Persecution begins
Dmitry Kolezev's case of "fakes" about the RF Armed Forces
Criminal case
Dmitry Kolezev's case on evasion of duties as a "foreign agent"
- Case number
- 1-348/2026
Dmitry Kolezev's case of "fakes" about the RF Armed Forces
- Case number
- 01-0516/2024
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Details and sources
Full summary
Former editor-in-chief of the online publication Republic. The criminal case against Kolezev became known in November 2022 and he was put on a wanted list. The journalist left Russia shortly after the war started. According to unconfirmed reports, the reason for the case was a post on Instagram in April 2022 about the killings of civilians in Bucha. Initially it was reported that Kolezev was accused of spreading "fakes" about the army using his official position (item "a" part 2 of article 207.3 of the Criminal Code), but later official information about the hate motive appeared. In October 2022, Kolezev was included in the register of "foreign agents". In June 2024, the journalist was arrested in absentia. On 6 August Kolezev was sentenced in absentia to seven and a half years' imprisonment and was banned from journalistic activities for 3 years. In December 2024, it became known that a case of evasion of duties of a "foreign agent" was initiated against Kolezev.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- Preventive measures
- arrest in absentia
- Persecution episodes
- 2
Other people prosecuted under Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.