Vitaly Ryazanov
Vitaly Ryazanov, born 1987, Occupied territory of Republic of Crimea. Charges: Article 208 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in armed groups against the interests of the Russian Federation including in the…); “Case of Vitaly Ryazanov on participation in an illegal armed formation”. Sentence (April 28, 2023): 5 years' imprisonment, of which the first year in jail and the rest in a strict regime penal colony. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since November 1, 2022. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, January 26, 2025.
In brief
Occupied territory of Republic of Crimea · Armiansk
Sentence
5 years
imprisonment, of which the first year in jail and the rest in a strict regime penal colony
Upheld July 11, 2023
Charges
- Article 208 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Participation in armed groups against the interests of the Russian Federation including in the territory of a foreign state
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, on 14 November 2022, he tried to enter Crimea by his own means. On the same day, the FSB received information about his involvement in the activities of the Crimean Tatar Volunteer Battalion named after Noman Chelebidzhikhan. According to the investigation, he had been taking an active part in the battalion's activities during the period from December 2015 to November 2017. Later, without notifying the state authorities of the Russian Federation about the termination of participation in the battalion, he continued his activities as part of the illegal armed formation. He ws performing functions "related to the inspection of persons and vehicles at checkpoints on the State border between Ukraine and the Republic of Crimea of the Russian Federation as well as guarding the facilities of the illegal armed formation".
Latest event
January 26, 2025 — recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, January 26, 2025
Timeline
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· Imprisonment begins
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 5 years
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
· Persecution begins
Case of Vitaly Ryazanov on participation in an illegal armed formation
Criminal case
Case of Vitaly Ryazanov on participation in an illegal armed formation
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Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of the Kherson region of Ukraine. On 4 September 2022, he was kidnapped from his home by unknown persons. After some time his relatives learnt that he was being kept in the basement of the police department in a neighbouring village. Ryazanov was kept there for more than two months, then he was transported to Crimea and taken into custody on charges of participation in the activities of an illegal armed formation. On 28 April 2023, he was sentenced to five years in a strict regime penal colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Ukraine
Other people prosecuted under Article 208 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.