Svetlana Marina
Svetlana Marina, born 1967, Kirov Oblast. Charges: Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries); “Svetlana Marina's case on repeated discrediting of the Russian Armed Forces”. Sentence (March 1, 2024): 1 year and 6 months of forced labour, ban on administering websites for a period of 2 years. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, May 17, 2024.
In brief
Kirov Oblast · Kirov · IT specialists, Engineers · Anti-war cases, Cases related to mass actions
Sentence
1 year and 6 months of forced labour, ban on administering websites for a period of 2 years
Upheld December 20, 2024
Charges
- Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries
Full wording of the charges
The case was initiated following a video that Marina posted on the “Svobodny Kirov” (“Free Kirov”) Telegram channel, after the Kirov Regional Court upheld her conviction under the administrative offence of discrediting the army (part 1 of article 20.3.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences). The conviction related to her comment about the deceased war correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky. In the video, Marina stated that she had not changed her opinion, describing Tatarsky as “a criminal, murderer, and robber” who “did not hide it.” In May 2023, Marina was also fined under the same administrative article for reposting content from the Telegram channel "Slovo liberala” (“The Word of a Liberal”). The repost included a photograph from a memorial picket for Boris Nemtsov held in Kirov on 24 February 2023, along with an anti-war statement by the PARNAS party, of which Nemtsov had been a co-chair.
Latest event
November 7, 2025 — imprisonment ends
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, May 17, 2024
Timeline
· Imprisonment ends
· Imprisonment begins
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· Persecution begins
Svetlana Marina's case on repeated discrediting of the Russian Armed Forces
Criminal case
Svetlana Marina's case on repeated discrediting of the Russian Armed Forces
- Case number
- 1-49/2024
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of Kirov, activist. On 8 November 2023, a search was conducted at her home in connection with a case of repeated discrediting of the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. On 1 March 2024, Marina was sentenced to one and a half years of compulsory labour.
In July 2024, it emerged that Marina was being subjected to pressure in the correctional facility: she had not been allowed home even once in two months, had received two formal reprimands, was denied the opportunity to leave the facility daily (as she had been assigned as a cleaner), and was required to report on her phone calls and show the letters she wrote. In November, it was reported that Marina had been caught preparing yeast pastries, which is prohibited in the facility.
On 22 November 2024, following a request from the facility, her remaining sentence was replaced with imprisonment in a settlement colony.
On 7 November 2025, Marina was released.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 280.3 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.