Aleksandr Sizikov

A resident of Crimea. He is an engineer by education. He was detained on 7 July 2020 and placed under house arrest the following day on charges of organising the activities of a terrorist organisation. On 24 August 2021, the case was returned to the prosecutor’s office because the materials had not been recorded in Braille — Sizikov lost his sight as a result of a car accident. On 27 October, an appellate court overturned this decision.

On 17 May 2024, he was sentenced to 17 years in a strict-regime penal colony, with the first four years to be served in prison. On 14 September 2024, the day after an appellate court upheld the sentence, Sizikov was taken into custody.

On 25 April 2025, the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) submitted a request for Sizikov’s release. On 26 May, a court ruled to release him from his sentence.

On 21 October 2025, an appellate court overturned this decision; however, lawyers stated that Sizikov was safe. On 23 October, news emerged that he had been detained. He was arrested for ten days under Article 19.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences for disobeying lawful orders from government officials. On 1 November, an appellate court overturned the arrest order. On 5 November, Sizikov’s support group reported that he was in pre-trial detention (SIZO).