Aleksandr Skobov
Aleksandr Skobov, born 1957, Komi Republic. Charges: Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Public incitement to terrorism or justification of terrorism (using media or the internet)); Article 205.4 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in a terrorist community); “Aleksandr Skobov's case”. Sentence (March 21, 2025): 16 years' imprisonment in a strict regime penal colony, 300,000 rubles fine, prohibition of administration of internet… Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since April 2, 2024; place of detention: Prison No. 2, Lipetsk Oblast. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, May 10, 2024.
In brief
Komi Republic, Saint Petersburg · Saint Petersburg, Syktyvkar · Journalists, Historians · Anti-war cases, Terrorism cases, Cases against "foreign agents"
Sentence
16 years
imprisonment in a strict regime penal colony, 300,000 rubles fine, prohibition of administration of internet resources for 4 years after release
Upheld April 1, 2026
Charges
- Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Public incitement to terrorism or justification of terrorism (using media or the internet)
- Article 205.4 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Participation in a terrorist community
Full wording of the charges
The case was initiated over a post about the attack on the Crimean Bridge. Later, two more episodes appeared in the case: one also under the article on public justification of terrorism, because of the publication about the murder of military correspondent Vladlen Tatarskii; the second - under the article on participation in the activities of a terrorist organization, presumably due to connections with the Free Russia Forum, a discussion platform for the Russian opposition established in Vilnius in 2016.
Latest event
April 1, 2026 — cassation
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, May 10, 2024
FACTUM stories
October 16, 2026
Alexander Skobov: From Soviet Psychiatric Hospitals to a 16-Year Prison Sentence
A Soviet-era dissident twice subjected to compulsory psychiatric treatment, Alexander Skobov is now serving a 16-year sentence in Russia. His case spans decades of opposition activism, terrorism-related charges and renewed punishment behind bars.
Timeline
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Imprisonment begins
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 16 years
· Preventive measure: temporary stay in hospital
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for the Komi Republic
· Persecution begins
Aleksandr Skobov's case
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
· Added to the register of “foreign agents”
Criminal case
Aleksandr Skobov's case
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Write a letter
Facility: Prison No. 2, Lipetsk Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
399783, ул. Пролетарская д. 1Б, Липецкая область, г. Елец, ФКУ «Тюрьма № 2 УФСИН по Липецкой области», Скобов Александр Валерьевич, 1957 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
Resident of St. Petersburg, publicist, political activist, dissident in Soviet times, political prisoner.
In 1978, Skobov was arrested in connection with his active participation in the Left Opposition group and the samizdat of an anti-government magazine. He was later sentenced to a psychiatric hospital, from which he was released in the summer of 1987.
On the 22nd of March 2024, Skobov was included in the register of "foreign agents". On the evening of the 2ns of April 2024, he was detained at the home of human rights activist Iulii Rybakov as part of a case of public justification of terrorism.
According to Rybakov, when Skobov was taken away after the detention, "he defiantly refused to take with him the medicines that he vitally needs, left on my table his glasses, without which he simply cannot see anything, and refused to take the necessary things to his cell. Apparently, he does not expect to get out of there and does it as a sign of protest against his detention".
On the 4th of April 2024, the court sent Skobov into custody.
Skobov's lawyer asked for a non-arrest preventive measure. She provided medical documents which confirmed that Skobov had been diagnosed with diabetes, hepatitis C, bronchial asthma and glaucoma. In addition, the activist has his 90-year-old mother Natalia as a dependent.
Skobov was transported to Syktyvkar. After that, two more episodes appeared in his case: one also under the article on public justification of terrorism, presumably because of publications about the activities of the Free Russia Forum, a discussion platform of the Russian opposition established in Vilnius in 2016; the second - under the article on participation in the activities of a terrorist community, presumably because of the connection with the Forum.
In August 2024, Skobov's wife reported that another case was brought against him for public justification of terrorism, details unknown.
On the 21st of March 2025, Skobov was sentenced to 16 years in a strict regime colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.