Ivan Safronov
Ivan Safronov, born 1990, Moscow. Charges: Article 275, Russian Criminal Code (Treason against the state); “The case against former journalist Ivan Safronov”. Sentence (September 5, 2022): 22 years' imprisonment in a strict regime colony. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since February 1, 2023; place of detention: Penal colony No. 17, Krasnoyarsk Krai. Recognition: Amnesty International — recognised as a prisoner of conscience, May 15, 2026; Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, November 28, 2022.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · Journalists
Sentence
22 years
imprisonment in a strict regime colony
Upheld August 2, 2023
Charges
- Article 275, Russian Criminal Code — Treason against the state
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, he passed the information about Russia's military and technical co-operation with African countries, as well as information about the activities of the armed forces in the Middle East region, to the foreign representative. The prosecution believes that the journalist was recruited by the Czech special services, but according to the defence, no evidence of this claim has been provided.
Latest event
May 15, 2026 — recognised as a prisoner of conscience
Amnesty International
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a prisoner of conscience — Amnesty International, May 15, 2026
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, November 28, 2022
FACTUM stories
October 5, 2026
Ivan Safronov: 22 Years in Prison. The Persecution of a Journalist
Military correspondent Ivan Safronov has been imprisoned since July 2020 and is serving a 22-year sentence in a treason case. Memorial recognizes him as a political prisoner, Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience, while CPJ and RSF link his prosecution to his journalism. The story of the case, pressure on his defense team, and more than six years behind bars.
Timeline
· Recognised as a prisoner of conscience
Amnesty International
· Imprisonment begins
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 22 years
· Persecution begins
The case against former journalist Ivan Safronov
Criminal case
The case against former journalist Ivan Safronov
Thematic group: The case of transferring classified information to Germany and to the university in Switzerland
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 17, Krasnoyarsk Krai
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
660111, Красноярский край, г. Красноярск, ул. Кразовская д. 12, ФКУ «ИК № 17 ГУФСИН России по Красноярскому краю», Сафронов Иван Иванович, 1990 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
Former journalist for Kommersant and Vedomosti. In May 2020, he became an advisor to the CEO of Roscosmos. In July of the same year, Safronov was detained and placed in pretrial custody on charges of high treason: he was accused of passing classified data to employees of German and Czech intelligence services. In September 2022, he was sentenced to 22 years in a strict regime penal colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 275, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.