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The Moscow City Court has sentenced Arsen Markaryan to four and a half years in a general regime penal colony on charges of insulting the memory of the defenders of the Fatherland (part 4, article 354.1 of the Criminal Code) and the rehabilitation of Nazism (subparagraph “v” of part 2, article 354.1 of the Criminal Code). This was reported by Mediazona.
The prosecutor had requested a sentence of six years and ten months in a penal colony.
Markaryan pleaded guilty. At his request, the case was considered under a special procedure—that is, without the examination of evidence.
The lawyer asked for a suspended sentence and no ban on publishing online, since Markaryan earns a living as a blogger. The defendant himself said that his mother, wife, and two daughters rely on his support; his youngest daughter was born two days ago, on 3 March.
The blogger was initially accused of insulting the memory of the defenders of the Fatherland because of a video in which he called Red Army soldier Aleksandr Matrosov a “dumbass.” According to the official version, Matrosov died in 1943 by covering a German bunker embrasure with his body.
Later, another episode was added to the case. The Investigative Committee reported that Markaryan published a video “justifying the ideology and practice of Nazism, associated with the extermination of groups on national grounds.” Precisely what was said in that video is unclear. An expert examination presented in court stated that Markaryan “noted the absence of issues regarding Adolf Hitler’s activities” and “expressed public support” for his actions.
The blogger has been held in pre-trial detention since August 2025.
- Markaryan, as a men’s personal growth coach, sold various courses and access to a closed Telegram channel. He became known after making misogynistic statements on social media and various podcasts.