RusNews journalist Roman Ivanov, who is serving a seven-year sentence at Penal Colony No. 6 in Kolomna over three posts about the war, has been placed in a punishment cell for 14 days. The reason for the disciplinary measure has not been made public. According to his lawyer, the prison administration plans to move Ivanov to stricter conditions of detention after he leaves SHIZO.

The new disciplinary measure became public on October 2. Mediazona, citing the journalist’s lawyer, reported that Roman Ivanov had been placed in SHIZO — a disciplinary isolation cell — for 14 days. The prison administration has not publicly stated what alleged violation prompted the punishment.

Ivanov is serving his sentence at Penal Colony No. 6 in Kolomna, Moscow Region. His lawyer says that once the 14-day SHIZO term ends, the administration may transfer him to stricter conditions of detention. His family was also told that a planned visit would not take place.

What “stricter conditions” mean

Stricter conditions of detention do not amount to a new criminal sentence or a transfer to another penal colony. They are the most restrictive internal regime available within a general-regime colony. Under Article 121 of Russia’s Penal Enforcement Code, prisoners held under stricter conditions are kept in locked premises and face tighter limits on visits, parcels and other aspects of daily life. Article 121 of the Penal Enforcement Code provides for three short visits and three long visits per year, as well as three parcels or packages.

Placement in SHIZO itself carries even more severe temporary restrictions. Article 118 of the Penal Enforcement Code bars prisoners in disciplinary isolation from visits and phone calls, and from receiving parcels or packages or purchasing food. Article 118 sets those restrictions for the period spent in SHIZO.

Seven years over three posts

Roman Ivanov is a RusNews journalist and the founder of Chestnoye Korolyovskoye!, a local project covering life in the Moscow-region city of Korolyov. Before the criminal case, he had also worked in sports broadcasting at Match TV and Sport and hosted radio programs. His case is summarized in FACTUM’s political-persecution database.

Ivanov was detained after a search in April 2023. The criminal case was based on three publications: a post about the killing of civilians in Bucha, a post about Russian missile strikes on Ukraine, and a summary of a United Nations report describing alleged violations of international humanitarian law and possible war crimes by Russian servicemen. Investigators charged him under Article 207.3, Part 2(d) of the Russian Criminal Code with disseminating “knowingly false information” about the use of the Russian armed forces, allegedly motivated by political hatred. Mediazona published a detailed account of the prosecution’s case.

On March 6, 2024, the Korolyov City Court sentenced Ivanov to seven years in a general-regime penal colony. Prosecutors had requested eight years. In May 2025, the Moscow Regional Court upheld the sentence. Mediazona notes that Ivanov did not admit guilt.

Human-rights assessments

Memorial’s Support for Political Prisoners project recognizes Roman Ivanov as a political prisoner. The group says his prosecution is connected to the exercise of freedom of expression and his journalistic work. That is the assessment of a human-rights organization; the Russian authorities do not recognize a legal status of “political prisoner.” Memorial’s case page for Ivanov contains materials on his prosecution.

FACTUM’s database also records that Amnesty International has recognized Ivanov as a prisoner of conscience. FACTUM does not assign such designations independently; it reports decisions made by human-rights organizations with attribution.

A new punishment with no publicly stated reason

At the time of publication, neither the administration of Penal Colony No. 6 nor the Federal Penitentiary Service had publicly explained what alleged violation led to the 14-day SHIZO term. No formal decision on moving Ivanov to stricter conditions has been published either; that planned step was reported by his lawyer.

FACTUM briefly included the episode in its weekly roundup of political persecution for September 26–October 2. This article records it separately as a new development in the case of a journalist who has been imprisoned since April 2023 and is serving a seven-year sentence over three posts about the war.