Arseniy Turbin
Arseniy Turbin, born 2008, Oryol Oblast. Charges: Article 205.5 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Participation in the activities of a terrorist organization); “Arseniy Turbin's case on participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation”. Sentence (June 20, 2024): 5 years' imprisonment in an educational colonies for young offenders. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since September 5, 2023; place of detention: Pre-trial detention centre No. 5, Perm Krai. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, June 20, 2024.
In brief
Oryol Oblast · NULL · Schoolchildren · Anti-war cases, Terrorism cases
Sentence
5 years
imprisonment in an educational colonies for young offenders
Upheld March 5, 2026
Charges
- Article 205.5 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Participation in the activities of a terrorist organization
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, in June 2023 "systematically reviewed information materials on the activities of opposition political figures who oppose the actions of Russian government authorities and the decision of the Russian president to conduct a special military operation, including materials posted by representatives of the UMO Freedom of Russia Legion, as a result of which he formed radical extremist political views consistent with the ideology of the UMO Freedom of Russia Legion”; he then familiarised himself with "the procedure for joining the UMO Freedom of Russia Legion”; and then read and understood the procedure for joining the UMO Freedom of Russia Legion. At an unspecified time between 25 April and 1 June 2023, he contacted an "unknown person" via the bot channel "Legionrf_bot", expressed his intention to join the Legion and received an e-mail address to continue the correspondence. On 1 June 2023, he entered into correspondence with an email user "legion.zapad@protonmail.com", unknown to the investigation, and expressed his willingness to join the Legion and "to commit acts of terrorist orientation in the interests of the UMO Freedom of Russia Legion". On 6 June 2023, he received a questionnaire for joining the Legion by e-mail, filled it out and sent it to the Legion on 7 June by means unknown to the investigation. Between 6 June and 19 June 2023, he found a leaflet on the Internet "containing statements negatively assessing Russian President Putin V.V." and printed at least one hundred copies. Allegedly, Arseniy did it "realising his obligations as a member of the UVO Legion "Freedom of Russia"". He distributed these leaflets to mailboxes in residential houses in Livny on 19 June, 21 or 22 July, 23 and 24 July 2023. In addition, he filmed his actions on video and uploaded the videos to the channel "Free Russia" created by him, posted there "an audio recording of his monologue containing a negative assessment of a group of persons united on the basis of their attitude to state and local government bodies, as well as Putin V.V.", a photo image of "himself with a leaflet in the form of a flag with the colours white-blue-white", reposts of statements from the channel of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and the Legion "Freedom of Russia", as well as other materials. The investigation links all these actions "to participation in the activities of the terrorist organisation UVO Legion "Freedom of Russia"".
Latest event
March 5, 2026 — cassation
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, June 20, 2024
Timeline
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Imprisonment begins
Pre-trial Detention Centre №5 (SIZO-5) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation for the Perm Krai
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 5 years
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Preventive measure: ban on certain activities
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
· Persecution begins
Arseniy Turbin's case on participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation
Criminal case
Arseniy Turbin's case on participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation
- Case number
- 1-113/2024
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Write a letter
Facility: Pre-trial detention centre No. 5, Perm Krai
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
614056, Пермский край, г. Пермь, ул. Соликамская, д. 246а, ФКУ СИЗО-5 ГУФСИН России по Пермскому краю, Турбин Арсений, 2008 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
He was born in the United Arab Emirates and lived in the Orel region. On 26 August 2023, a search was conducted at his home. After that, the operatives interviewed Turbin in the presence of his mother. As follows from the transcript of the interview, which is in the case file and published by Mediazona, the reason was Turbin's correspondence, presumably with representatives of the Russian Freedom Legion. At the same time, one of the operatives, as follows from the transcript of the interview, convinced the teenager that filling out a questionnaire to join the legion was "normal" and "not against the law." On 5 September 2023, Turbin was detained on a case of participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation. The next day, the court sent him under house arrest. The teenager was accused of filling out questionnaires to join the legion: the interview protocol included his confession, which was not in the transcript.
In November 2023, Turbin was added to the Rosfinmonitoring list, labelled as being pursued for terrorist offences - he became the youngest person listed there. In February 2024, an Investigative Committee investigator wanted to drop the case, but it was transferred to another investigator. On 31 May 2024, Turbin's preventive measure was changed to a ban on certain actions. On 20 June, he was sentenced to five years in an educational colony.
On 7 October 2024, it became known that Turbin was beaten by a cellmate. The next day, Turbin's mother reported that this prisoner was transferred to another cell.
In February 2026, it became known that a new case was opened against Turbin - for participation in mass riots. A few days earlier, the support group, citing a lawyer, said that a notebook with texts about the AUE (criminal organisation) subculture had been placed in Turbin's bedside table, which could be a reason to initiate a case of participation in the activities of an extremist organisation.
Other people prosecuted under Article 205.5 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.