Igor Orlovskii
Igor Orlovskii, born 1970, Krasnoyarsk Krai. Charges: Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code (Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government…); Article 354.1 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Dissemination of false information about the Second World War (using an official position, by a…); “Igor Orlovskii's case on the rehabilitation of Nazism and 'fakes news' about the RF Armed Forces”, opened on December 1, 2022. Sentence (November 13, 2023): 6 years and 6 months' imprisonment. Cumulatively with the previous sentence, 7 years and 6 months' imprisonment; previously convicted under Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code; Article 280 part 2, Russian Criminal Code. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since March 24, 2023; place of detention: Penal colony No. 14, Irkutsk Oblast. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, May 2, 2023.
In brief
Krasnoyarsk Krai · Krasnoyarsk · Artists, Manual workers · Anti-war cases, Terrorism cases, Extremism cases
Sentence
7 years 6 months
6 years and 6 months' imprisonment. Cumulatively with the previous sentence, 7 years and 6 months' imprisonment.
Upheld November 27, 2024
Other verdicts
- March 24, 2023 — 3 years' imprisonment in a general regime colony, ban on posting publications on the Internet for 2 years
Charges
- Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Public incitement to terrorism or justification of terrorism (using media or the internet)
- Article 280 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Public calls for extremism (using mass media or the internet)
- 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)
- Article 354.1 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Dissemination of false information about the Second World War (using an official position, by a group of individuals, using media or the internet, with fabricating evidence for the prosecution)
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, polemising with the 'mantra' of the 'zombified people' on VKontakte about the victory over fascism, Orlovskii compared the policies of Hitler and Stalin before the Second World War. The text ended with the words 'Conclusion: Stalin was as much an aggressor as Hitler. And what could the Soviet Union be proud of?'. Later, the case was joined with a case of 'fake news' about the Armed Forces (part 1 of Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code): according to the investigation, in March, Orlovskii posted on VKontakte a message that the Russian Armed Forces had struck a drama theatre in Mariupol, and in April – two comments. In one of them, he pointed out that Russian soldiers were killing civilians and destroying towns, and in the other, he said that Russian soldiers had raped a boy and a girl in Bucha, according to Ukraine's former ombudsman. In April 2023, Orlovskii's charges on this episode were toughened and reclassified to the dissemination of deliberately false information about the Armed Forces on the motive of political hatred (point 'e' of part 2 of Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code) because of 'opposition views'.
Latest event
February 27, 2025 — imprisonment begins
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, May 2, 2023
Timeline
· Imprisonment begins
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 7 years 6 months
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 3 years
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Krasnoyarsk Krai
· Criminal case opened
Igor Orlovskii's case on the rehabilitation of Nazism and 'fakes news' about the RF Armed Forces
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution begins
Igor Orlovskii's case of calls for extremism and public justification of terrorism
Criminal case
Igor Orlovskii's case on the rehabilitation of Nazism and 'fakes news' about the RF Armed Forces
- Case number
- 2-32/2023
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Igor Orlovskii's case of calls for extremism and public justification of terrorism
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 14, Irkutsk Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
665809, г.Ангарск, Первый промышленный массив, квартал 9, строение 10/1, ФКУ «ИК № 14 ГУФСИН России по Иркутской области», Орловский Игорь Сергеевич, 1970 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
Igor Orlovskii is a resident of Krasnoyarsk. At different times he worked as a turner, practised sculpting, ceramics, kneaded dough, did industrial climbing and decorative finishing work. He was interested in speleology and published a home-made magazine. A case was brought against him for public justification of terrorism and calls for extremism because of his anti-war comments. On 24 March 2023, Igor was sentenced to three years in prison. The case of rehabilitation of Nazism and dissemination of of knowingly false information about the Armed Forces was initiated from this case's materials. In the second case, on 13 November 2023, Igor was sentenced to seven and a half years, taking into account the previous sentence.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- 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.