The cassation court has kept the Primorye politician with skin cancer in prison, despite the positions of the Supreme Court and the Federal Penitentiary Service.

The Ninth Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction has upheld the decision of the trial court, which refused to release former Communist Party (KPRF) member of the Legislative Assembly of Primorye, Artyom Samsonov, from the penal colony. This was reported by his lawyer Natalya Kasilova on her Telegram channel.

Last year, Samsonov was diagnosed with skin cancer on his nose. Afterwards, he petitioned for release on medical grounds. The acting head of the regional prison hospital made a similar request. The hospital representative told the court that they lacked the necessary equipment and specialists to provide Samsonov with the required care.

In June 2025, the Leninsky District Court in Vladivostok, a major city in Russia’s Far East, denied this petition. In August, the Primorye Regional Court upheld that decision.

Afterwards, the politician’s lawyer filed a cassation appeal, which was reviewed by the Russian Supreme Court. In March, the Supreme Court decided to progress the appeal and referred the case to the court of cassation. The ruling stated that the trial and appellate courts “did not give due consideration” to Samsonov’s illness, which is included on the list of conditions that prevent people from serving sentences.

The lawyer intends to apply to the Supreme Court again.

• Samsonov is serving a 13-year sentence for allegedly showing an 11-year-old boy a sex toy (paragraph “b” part 4 article 132 of the Russian Criminal Code). According to the investigators, he told the child about its purpose at a holiday resort.
• The politician denies any wrongdoing. His defence has drawn attention to contradictions in the testimony of the boy’s father, Nikolay Koldaev, whose account has changed several times. The complaint against Samsonov was filed by Koldaev’s partner, who had had a conflict with the politician shortly before.