Igor Rudnikov
Igor Rudnikov, born 1965, Kaliningrad Oblast. Charges: Article 330 part 1 applied with Article 30 part 3, Russian Criminal Code (The wilful commission of any actions that violate the lawful rights and interests of citizens or…); Article 330.2, Russian Criminal Code (Failure to notify of foreign citizenship or permanent residence in a foreign state); “The Igor Rudnikov case”. Sentence (June 16, 2019): Five hundred and fifty hours of compulsory labour. Status: at large. Recognition: Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, February 12, 2018; Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as a political prisoner, February 5, 2018.
In brief
Kaliningrad Oblast · Kaliningrad · Bloggers · Cases against "foreign agents"
Sentence
Five hundred and fifty hours of compulsory labour
Upheld August 13, 2019
Charges
- Article 330 part 1 applied with Article 30 part 3, Russian Criminal Code — The wilful commission of any actions that violate the lawful rights and interests of citizens or legal entities that involves violence or the threat to employ it.
- Article 330.2, Russian Criminal Code — Failure to notify of foreign citizenship or permanent residence in a foreign state
Full wording of the charges
demanded that the head of the regional department of the Investigative Committee reimburse the costs of his own investigation into the attempted assassination, contrary to procedural norms; failed to disclose his US residence permit
Latest event
August 15, 2025 — added to the register of “foreign agents”
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, February 12, 2018
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial Human Rights Centre, February 5, 2018
Timeline
· Added to the register of “foreign agents”
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict, upheld
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Kaliningrad Oblast
· 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
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Kaliningrad Oblast
· Persecution begins
The Igor Rudnikov case
Criminal case
The Igor Rudnikov case
Details and sources
Full summary
At 14:30 on 1 November 2017, Rudnikov was detained by FSB officers during the evacuation of the house where he lived after a call about an allegedly planted bomb. He was then brought to the Novye Kolesa editorial office, where a search began. During the detention, the FSB officers, according to the journalists of the publication, used physical force on Rudnikov, which made him feel ill. The ambulance doctors found out that he had a fractured arm and multiple bruises and took him to the regional clinical hospital in an unconscious state in the evening of 1 November. However, on the night of 2 November, law enforcers took Rudnikov home from the hospital to conduct a search. In the early morning he was taken to the FSB to the investigator of the State Investigative Committee, who issued an allegedly voluntary appearance of the suspect for interrogation. Rudnikov was brought in a jumper, shorts, socks and slippers, and was not allowed to wear trousers. On 3 November Rudnikov was arrested by court decision. On 23 November he was deprived of his deputy status due to the fact that during the search he was seized a residence permit in the United States. On 1 December, it became known that Rudnikov was transferred to Moscow, to the Lefortovo pre-trial detention centre. In October 2018, Rudnikov was transferred to the pre-trial detention centre in Kaliningrad, and in March 2019 - to the pre-trial detention centre in St. Petersburg, as the Supreme Court ruled that the case should be considered in the St. Petersburg court.
The court reclassified the charge to attempted self-rule and failure to fulfil the obligation to submit notification of foreign citizenship. On 17 June 2019, Rudnikov was sentenced to 550 hours of compulsory labour and released in the courtroom.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 330.2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.