Grigorii Melkoniants
Grigorii Melkoniants, born 1981, Moscow. Charges: Article 284.1 part 3, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an undesirable organization); “Golos participants' case of the activities of an "undesirable organisation"”. Sentence (May 14, 2025): 5 years' imprisonment in a general regime colony, ban on public activities for 9 years. Status: imprisoned; place of detention: Penal colony No. 2, Lipetsk Oblast. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, October 25, 2023.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · NGO staff · Cases against "foreign agents"
Sentence
5 years
imprisonment in a general regime colony, ban on public activities for 9 years
Upheld December 15, 2025
Charges
- Article 284.1 part 3, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an undesirable organization
Full wording of the charges
The reason for the case was the alleged cooperation with the European Network of Election Monitoring Organisations (ENEMO) − on September 27th, 2021, the Prosecutor General's Office declared it an "undesirable organisation".
Latest event
December 15, 2025 — appeal
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, October 25, 2023
Timeline
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 5 years
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Persecution begins
Golos participants' case of the activities of an "undesirable organisation"
Criminal case
Golos participants' case of the activities of an "undesirable organisation"
- Case number
- 01-0581/2024
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 2, Lipetsk Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
398007 г. Липецк, ул. Ковалёва, 130Б, ИК-2, ФКУ «ИК № 2 УФСИН по Липецкой области», Мельконьянц Григорий Аркадьевич, 1981 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
Co-chairman of the Golos ("Voice") movement, which monitors election violations. On August 17th 2023, Melkoniants' place was searched and it became known that a case had been opened against him for alleged cooperation with the European Network of Election Monitoring Organisations (ENEMO) — on September 27th 2021, the Prosecutor General Office declared it an "undesirable organisation". At the same time, there is no evidence of Melkoniants' participation in the activities of this network or that Golos is a subdivision of it. Melkoniants was taken into custody. On May 14th 2025, he was sentenced to 5 years in a general regime penal colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 284.1 part 3, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.