Alexander Orshulevich

On 30 January 2017, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Kaliningrad region sent an official warning notice to Orshulevich about the inadmissibility of carrying out extremist activities, in which it suggested that he take organisational and practical measures within two months to prevent further violations of the law on countering extremist activities. Orshulevich resigned as head of BARR and left the organisation, and the unregistered organisation made changes to its charter.

On 27 May a case of the creation of an extremist community was initiated. Orshulevich was taken into custody. According to his wife Vanda, during the search and arrest, the law enforement officers planted stencils with extremist inscriptions and spray paint cans on him and prevented him from contacting his lawyer. Orshulevich claims that after his arrest they put a polythene bag over his head and tortured him.

On 16 October Orshulevich’s lawyer Marina Bontsler was suspended from participation in the case.

In October 2018, it was reported that Orshulevich was charged with organising a terrorist community (Part 1 of Article 205.4 of the Criminal Code), justification of terrorism (Part 1 of Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code), calls for extremist activity (Part 1 of Article 280 of the Criminal Code) and storage of ammunition (Part 3 of Article 222 of the Criminal Code) and explosives (Part 3 of Article 222.1 of the Criminal Code), committed by an organised group.

In April 2020, the above charges against Orshulevich were reported to have been dropped and he was again charged with organising the activities of an extremist community. On 17 April, he was sentenced to eight years in a penal colony, one year of restricted freedom and deprivation of the right to administer websites for six years.

In May 2025, Orshulevich was released.