Nikolai Sentsov
Nikolai Sentsov, born 1971, Kaliningrad Oblast. Charges: Article 222 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Illicit trafficking in firearms or ammunition); Article 222.1 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Illegal acquisition, transfer, storage, transportation, shipment or bearing of explosive substances…); “The case of the BVRR (the Baltic Vanguard of the Russian Resistance)”. Sentence (April 16, 2020): Three years of imprisonment in a general regime colony, to release in the courtroom. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as a political prisoner, February 25, 2018; Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, February 25, 2018.
In brief
Kaliningrad Oblast · Kaliningrad · Military personnel
Sentence
3 years
Three years of imprisonment in a general regime colony, to release in the courtroom
Upheld February 15, 2022
Charges
- Article 222 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Illicit trafficking in firearms or ammunition
- Article 222.1 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Illegal acquisition, transfer, storage, transportation, shipment or bearing of explosive substances or explosive devices
Full wording of the charges
Stored firearms, ammunition and explosives, which were planned to be used for a violent seizure of power in the Kaliningrad region
Latest event
February 15, 2022 — cassation
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial Human Rights Centre, February 25, 2018
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, February 25, 2018
Timeline
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Removed from the Rosfinmonitoring list
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 3 years
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Persecution ends
· 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 case of the BVRR (the Baltic Vanguard of the Russian Resistance)
Criminal case
The case of the BVRR (the Baltic Vanguard of the Russian Resistance)
Other defendants in the case
- Igor Ivanov — At large, 5 years 10 months
- Alexander (Father Nicholas) Mamayev — At large, 6 years
- Alexander Orshulevich — At large, 8 years
Details and sources
Full summary
Nikolai Sentsov was detained on 27 September 2017. The next day he was charged under part 2 of article 282.1 of the criminal code ("Participation in an extremist community for the purpose of committing crimes"). On 29 September 2017, Vladimir Elzesser, judge of the Central District Court of Kaliningrad, elected a preventive measure against Nikolay Sentsov in the form of detention until 27 November 2017. On 25 November 2017 and 25 January 2018, the preventive measure was extended twice, in total until 27 March 2018. On 13 March 2018, Sentsov suffered a stroke in the pre-trial detention centre. The man was hopitalized. The FSIN officials did not inform either the family or the lawyer. The incident became known only after Sentsov's lawyer tried to visit the prisoner.
In October 2018, it was reported that Sentsov was charged with possession of ammunition and explosives, as well as participation in a terrorist community. In April 2020, it became known that Sentsov was charged only with possession of ammunition and explosives, and the charge was reclassified from the more serious part of possession by an organised group to a lighter one. On 17 April, he was sentenced to three years in prison and released in the courtroom.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 222 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.