Vitaly Zaitsev
Vitaly Zaitsev, born 1977, Tula Oblast. Charges: Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Public incitement to terrorism or justification of terrorism (using media or the internet)); Article 280 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Public calls for extremism (using mass media or the internet)); “Vitaly Zaitsev's case on calls to extremism and terrorism”. Sentence (December 9, 2024): 2 years of compulsory labour, a fine of 390,000 rubles and a ban on administering Internet resources for a period of 1… Status: location unknown. Recognition: Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, April 28, 2025.
In brief
Tula Oblast · Tula · Anti-war cases, Terrorism cases, Extremism cases
Sentence
2 years of compulsory labour, a fine of 390,000 rubles and a ban on administering Internet resources for a period of 1 year and 6 months
First instance, August 19, 2024: 2 years of compulsory labour, a fine of 300,000 rubles and a ban on administering Internet resources for a period of 1 year and 6 months
Charges
- Article 205.2 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Public incitement to terrorism or justification of terrorism (using media or the internet)
- Article 280 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Public calls for extremism (using mass media or the internet)
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation team, in March and December of 2022, he posted on his VKontakte page comments under videos containing calls for murder. According to the law enforcement-affiliated Telegram channel "Tula. ExtremiZm", "publicly left numerous comments calling for the murder of 'Russians, Russian servicemen and the President of the Russian Federation'." Zaytsev himself says that the reason for the case was the videos on his VKontakte page and comments under them wishing victory and success to the Ukrainian army, but there were no words about murder.
Latest event
March 1, 2026 — imprisonment ends
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners, April 28, 2025
Timeline
· Imprisonment ends
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial: Support for Political Prisoners
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Appeal ruling
sentence changed
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict
· Persecution begins
Vitaly Zaitsev's case on calls to extremism and terrorism
· Preventive measure: house arrest
Criminal case
Vitaly Zaitsev's case on calls to extremism and terrorism
Thematic group: Anti-war case
Details and sources
Full summary
Resident of Tula. On 2 May 2024, Zaytsev was prosecuted under administrative articles on incitement to hatred or hostility (Article 20.3.1 of the CAO) and on dissemination of information via the Internet expressing "obvious disrespect" for the government and symbols of the Russian Federation (part 3 of Article 20.1 of the CAO). In the first case, the reason was publications "humiliating the human dignity" of law enforcement officers, while in the second case - posts about Vladimir Putin. Zaitsev was arrested for five days and fined 60 thousand rubles. Immediately after the end of the administrative arrest, Zaitsev was detained again, according to him, with the use of force, and accused of calling for extremism and terrorism. According to official information, the reason was the posts with aggressive statements against the participants of the war and calls to kill the highest officials of the Russian Federation. Zaitsev himself claims that no murders were mentioned in his posts and comments. He was placed under house arrest. On 22 October 2024, Zaytsev was sentenced to two years of forced labour and a fine of 300,000 roubles. On 9 December 2024, the appeal court increased the amount of the fine to 390 thousand. Presumably, he was released in March 2026.
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.