Olga Misik
Olga Misik, born 2002, Moscow. Charges: Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Public incitement to terrorism or justification of terrorism (using media or the internet)); “Olga Misik's case of public justification of terrorism”, opened on October 26, 2023. Previously convicted under Article 214 part 2, Russian Criminal Code. Status: not in Russia. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted on political grounds, May 10, 2021.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · Journalists · Anti-war cases, Terrorism cases
Sentence
2 years of non-custodial sentence with prohibition to leave the dwelling from 22:00 to 06:00
Upheld September 1, 2021
Charges
- Article 214 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Vandalism committed by a group of people, or motivated by hatred or animosity
- Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Public incitement to terrorism or justification of terrorism (using media or the internet)
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, she prepared hygiene pads, four paper posters and red markers to commit the crime; arrived at the building of the Lyublinsky District Court and proceeded to the metal fence enclosing the building; then, on the night of 8 August 2020, "being ... in a public place in front of the building of the Lyublinsky District Court of Moscow, .... grossly violating public order, wishing to contrast her unlawful behaviour with the norms of public morality and aesthetics, expressing clear disrespect for society, cynically disregarding the rules of conduct in public places, in order to desecrate the above-mentioned building, placed opposite the gate on the metal fence enclosing the above-mentioned building, .... ... prepared hygienic pads and four paper posters containing obscene, indecent and offensive inscriptions addressed to the Lyublinsky District Court of Moscow as a single federal centralised system of bodies administering justice on behalf of the Russian Federation, thereby disfiguring and desecrating the appearance of the said building, after which she fled the scene"; then she arrived at the building of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation in the centre of Moscow, after which she approached a checkpoint at the Prosecutor General's Office in Dmitrovka Street, Moscow, and "placed a plasterboard at the entrance to the building". She "placed to the right of the entrance door, under the sign "Office of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation", pre-prepared sanitary pads and an A3-size paper poster containing obscene, indecent and insulting inscriptions addressed to the Office of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation, and poured some red dye from a pre-prepared bottle on the right wall of the building, disfiguring the exterior of the building, thereby jointly desecrating and defacing it, causing the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation to be vandalised.
Latest event
March 21, 2024 — preventive measure: arrest in absentia
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted on political grounds — Memorial Human Rights Centre, May 10, 2021
Timeline
· Preventive measure: arrest in absentia
· Criminal case opened
Olga Misik's case of public justification of terrorism
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· Recognised as persecuted on political grounds
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Preventive measure: ban on certain activities
· Persecution begins
The "federal booth" case
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
TDF No. 1 of the Main Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Moscow
Criminal case
The "federal booth" case
- Case number
- 01-0002/369/2021
Other defendants in the case
- Igor Basharimov — At large
- Ivan Vorobyevsky — At large
Olga Misik's case of public justification of terrorism
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Details and sources
Full summary
On 9 August 2020, Misik was detained, and the following day, the court imposed a preventive measure prohibiting certain actions. On 11 May 2021, she received a two-year sentence of restricted freedom. Subsequently, she left Russia, and on 10 November 2022, it was disclosed that she was placed on a wanted list. On 21 June 2023, the court commuted the remainder of her sentence to imprisonment.
On 26 October 2023, a search was conducted at Misik's father's residence in the Moscow region. It was revealed that a criminal case had been initiated against her for publicly justifying terrorism, stemming from a tweet concerning the assassination of pro-regime blogger ("war correspondent") Vladlen Tatarsky.
On 21 March 2023, the Meshchansky District Court of Moscow issued an in absentia arrest warrant for Misik in connection with charges of incitement to terrorism.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- Preventive measures
- ban on certain activities, arrest in absentia
- Persecution episodes
- 2
Other people prosecuted under Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.