Sven Nordin
Sven Nordin, born 1983, Kaliningrad Oblast. Charges: Article 354.1 part 4, Russian Criminal Code (Insulting the memory, symbols, and veterans of the Great Patriotic War (committed by a group of…); “Sven Nordin's case of insulting Karatsupa”. Sentence (June 7, 2024): 2 years' imprisonment in a corrective penal colony, 3 years' of deprivation of the right to engage in activities related… Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, April 15, 2025.
In brief
Kaliningrad Oblast · Bagrationovsk · Human rights defenders, Lawyers
Sentence
2 years
imprisonment in a corrective penal colony, 3 years' of deprivation of the right to engage in activities related to the placement of information on the Internet
Upheld July 1, 2025
Charges
- Article 354.1 part 4, Russian Criminal Code — Insulting the memory, symbols, and veterans of the Great Patriotic War (committed by a group of individuals or using mass media or the Internet)
Full wording of the charges
The reason for the case was a post dated from the 28th of September 2021 in one of Nordin's groups in "VKontakte", in which he compared a participant of the Great Patriotic War, colonel of border troops, a famous trainer of service dogs Nikita Karatsupa with serial killer Andrei Chikatilo.
Latest event
December 1, 2025 — imprisonment ends
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, April 15, 2025
Timeline
· Imprisonment ends
· Imprisonment begins
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 2 years
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
· Preventive measure: ban on certain activities
· Persecution begins
Sven Nordin's case of insulting Karatsupa
Criminal case
Sven Nordin's case of insulting Karatsupa
Details and sources
Full summary
Resident of the Kaliningrad region, legal scholar, Swedish nationalist. On the 15th of August 2022, a search came to his home in a case of insulting the memory of a defender of the Fatherland. According to Nordin, force was used against him. The next day, the court chose a preventive measure in the form of a ban on certain actions. In April 2023, the prosecutor's office returned the case to the investigation. On the 13th of March 2024, the court tightened the preventive measure by prohibiting Nordin from making phone calls and leaving the house at night. On the 7th of June 2024, Nordin was sentenced to two years in a general regime colony.
In the colony Nordin was beaten by prisoners and his nose was broken.
In December 2025, he was released.
Other people prosecuted under Article 354.1 part 4, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.