Artem Vakhlyaev
Artem Vakhlyaev, born 2000, Moscow. Charges: Article 282.2 part 3, Russian Criminal Code (Involvement or participation in the activities of an extremist organization through an official…); “The Individuum’s case”. Sentenced on July 3, 2026. Status: at large. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, September 1, 2025.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · Extremism cases
Sentence
Suspended prison sentence
No information about an appeal ruling.
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 3, Russian Criminal Code — Involvement or participation in the activities of an extremist organization through an official position
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, he was involved in the sale of 900 copies of books containing "extremist LGBT ideology" between 30 November 2023 and 21 September 2024. The materials of the criminal case include the books "Summer in a Pioneer Tie" and "What the Swallow is Silent About" by Elena Malisova and Katerina Silvanova, "Windows to the Yard" and "A Notebook in a Cell" by Mikita Franko, "Darius the Great Deserves More" by Adib Khorram, "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Saenz, "The King's Suite" by Nora Sakavich, "Lia: Life Off the Record" and "Love, Creekwood" by Becky Albertalli, and the first two volumes of the series "Heartstopper" by Alice Osman.
Latest event
July 3, 2026 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, September 1, 2025
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· Preventive measure: ban on certain activities
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Preventive measure: house arrest
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
· Persecution begins
The Individuum’s case
Criminal case
The Individuum’s case
Other defendants in the case
- Pavel Ivanov — At large, 4 years
- Dmitry Protopopov — At large
Details and sources
Full summary
A warehouse manager of the Individuum publishing house. On 14 May 2025, he was detained as part of a case on the activities of an extremist organisation in connection with the distribution of books that were deemed to contain LGBTQ+ propaganda, including Summer in a Pioneer Tie. The next day Vakhlyayev was placed under house arrest.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- Preventive measures
- ban on certain activities
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 3, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.