Ilia Vasilev
Ilia Vasilev, born 1973, Moscow. Charges: Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code (Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government…); “The case of Ilia Vasilev of "fakes" about the Russian Armed Forces”. Sentenced on April 28, 2026. Status: imprisoned. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, July 17, 2024.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · IT specialists · Anti-war cases
Sentence
6 years
Ban on activity, Imprisonment (general regime)
First instance, June 25, 2025: 8 years
Charges
- Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code — Dissemination of false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, government agencies, or mercenaries (based on political, ideological, racial, national or religious hatred or enmity, or on grounds of hatred or enmity in relation to any social group)
Full wording of the charges
The reason for the case was two Facebook posts found in the phone seized from Vasilyev a year earlier: one about the shelling of Dnipro and the other about the Christmas truce. Later, the episode about the shelling of Dnipro was removed from the case. The post, which remained in the case, was written in English and translated for the needs of the investigation with the help of an automatic translator, as a result of which, according to Vasilev, the meaning was distorted.
Latest event
April 28, 2026 — first-instance verdict
The court delivered a guilty verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, July 17, 2024
Timeline
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 8 years
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for the Republic of Bashkortostan
· Preventive measure changed
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Persecution begins
The case of Ilia Vasilev of "fakes" about the Russian Armed Forces
· Preventive measure: placement in a temporary detention facility
TDF of the Department of Internal Affairs of the South-East Administrative District of the Main Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Moscow
Criminal case
The case of Ilia Vasilev of "fakes" about the Russian Armed Forces
- Case number
- 01-0964/2025
Thematic group: Anti-war case
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Details and sources
Full summary
The abbot of the "Moscow Zen Centre", founder of the "Civic School of Hackers", is also known as Arvi Hacker. In May 2023, a report was drawn up on him under the administrative article on discrediting the army (Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences) and he was fined 40,000 rubles. At that time, the police conducted an inspection of Vasilyev's flat and seized a phone from him. On 20 June 2024, Vasilyev was detained in the framework of the case on dissemination of deliberately false information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. On 22 June, the court sent him to custody. The reason for the case was the posts that were allegedly found in his seized phone. One of the posts was later excluded from the case.
On 25 June 2025, the court sentenced him to eight years in a general regime colony. He was also banned from administering internet resources for four years.
On 22 October 2025, the appellate court overturned the verdict and sent the case for a new hearing.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 207.3 part 2 item d, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.