Detentions, trials and pressure over anti-war statements and criticism of the war in Ukraine: Human rights news from Russia, court updates & analysis | 152 related articles

13.05.2025

13:06

In annexed Sevastopol, the local theatre was forced to cancel performances by a Moscow theatre due to having in its repertoire productions by a late director who had taken a pro-Ukrainian stance. This was reported by Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-appointed head of Sevastopol, on his channel.

The Moscow Vakhtangov Theatre was scheduled to perform three plays on the stage of the Lunacharsky Theatre in Sevastopol, two of which—“The Wind Rustles in the Poplars” and “King Oedipus”—were at one time directed by Lithuanian director Rimas Tuminas. Tuminas had been the artistic director of the Vakhtangov Theatre since 2007, stepped down in May 2022, and died in Lithuania in 2024.

“For those who don’t know: after the start of the ‘special military operation,’ Rimas said that Moscow should be bombed and wanted to stage the play ‘My Friend Bandera,’ but he himself went to his fascist idol. He is a traitor. And I consider it especially blasphemous to show the work of a traitor in Russia’s patriotic capital, in Sevastopol,” wrote Razvozhayev.

The occupation official also promised to reprimand the management of the local Department of Culture and the Lunacharsky Theatre.

10.05.2025

17:59

Sverdlovsk Oblast

In Yekaterinburg, police detained a woman because of blue and yellow stripes on her jacket, reports E1.ru.

Security forces detained 53-year-old Yekaterinburg resident Lyudmila on 9 May. She was wearing a dark jacket featuring Mickey Mouse and stripes in yellow, blue, and grey. Her daughter Anastasia was present at the time of the detention, filming what was happening.

“Your mother is being detained on suspicion of committing an administrative offence under [article] 20.3 of the Russian Code of Administrative Offences. Signs of extremism are present,” said the officer.

Anastasia pointed out that their family is originally from Kazakhstan, whose flag uses blue and yellow. “They’re detaining people for no reason at the celebration,” she says on camera.

In the background, an officer asks, “Who are you working for?,” then says, “This citizen is working for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.” Another male voice adds: “Yes, you see, she’s got a Ukrainian flag.” “Working for enemy intelligence is not good,” says, presumably, one of the police officers.

Anastasia said that they bought the jacket in Yekaterinburg:

“We bought the jacket at a boutique in the Pekin shopping centre on the second floor. It cost 12,000 rubles (about US$130). There are three stripes: grey, yellow, and blue. The same jackets are sold to Chinese people and in other colours, too. It’s just absurd. Mum wrote a statement of explanation. But they confiscated the jacket. I even offered for her to recolour it right there (we had markers with us). But no. I feel sorry for the jacket.”

09.05.2025

17:09

In the centre of Moscow, picketer Aleksandr Klevitov was detained while holding a placard reading “No to war.” OVD-Info was informed of this by a relative of the young man who was detained.

Klevitov held his solo picket at Pushkin Square at midday. Police officers soon approached him and detained him. It is believed he was taken to the Tverskoy District police station.

19:15 Aleksandr Klevitov is at the Tverskoy District police department, according to his relative. An OVD-Info lawyer, Nataliya Tikhonova, arrived at the station to see him, but was not allowed access to her client.

23:15 The lawyer was still not granted access to the detainee at the police station. In addition, activists tried to deliver a care package to Klevitov, but police refused to accept it, claiming they were “unable to do so.”

Police staff also refused for a long time to accept a written complaint from the lawyer regarding her denial of access to their client.

Ambulances came to the police station twice. This may be linked to the fact that Klevitov has a category II disability. There was no contact with him during this entire period.

10 May 11:30 Aleksandr Klevitov was released from the police station, as reported by OVD-Info lawyer Nataliya Tikhonova.

The activist has been charged with “discrediting the Russian army.” This article does not provide for administrative arrest as a possible penalty, meaning that keeping him overnight was unlawful in this case.

While in the police station, Klevitov was beaten, and he is now on his way to the trauma unit to have his injuries documented.

15:45 From the trauma unit, Aleksandr Klevitov was sent for further examination due to suspected head trauma.

07.05.2025

17:41

The Frunzensky District Court of St Petersburg has fined local resident Sergei Gromov 30,000 roubles (approximately US$330) over anti-war posts and a petition. The press service of the St Petersburg courts reported this.

According to police and the court, on 24 February 2022, Gromov posted an image, a caption, and a petition on his Facebook page containing critical remarks about the actions of the Russian army.

“The text of the petition includes statements expressing an encouragement to take actions aimed at obstructing the functioning of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, as well as statements encouraging mass action of some kind,” the press service said.

Additionally, several anti-war publications were found on Gromov’s VKontakte page, which police attached to this administrative case. Gromov himself refused to plead guilty in court.

“Through his actions, he deliberately drew attention to negative aspects of the ‘Special Military Operation,’ discredited the nature, aims, and objectives regarding the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which are employed in accordance with universally recognised principles and norms of international law; however, these actions do not constitute a criminal offence,” the statement reads.

In August 2022, a person named Sergei Gromov was detained after unfolding an anti-war placard in central St Petersburg. A protocol was later drawn up against him for ‘discrediting’ the Russian army.

16:36

A protocol for “discrediting the Russian army” (Art. 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences) has been drawn up against Gleb Kalinychev, an activist from Nizhny Novgorod who was convicted in a case concerning a donation to the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK). This was reported by the Telegram channel “NPKK_info.”

Kalinychev is required to report regularly to the police because he was given a suspended sentence. He turned up at the police station, where officers from the Centre for Countering Extremism were waiting for him. They confiscated his phone and began drafting a protocol.

The police accused the activist over a post dated 24 February 2022, the contents of which are unknown at present. Kalinychev was released after this.

In August 2023, a court in Nizhny Novgorod, a major city on the Volga River east of Moscow, sentenced Gleb Kalinychev to a four-year suspended sentence in a case relating to the financing of extremism (Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code). According to investigators, he transferred 1,899 rubles (approximately US$20) to the Anti-Corruption Foundation. Kalinychev had been held in a pre-trial detention centre from September 2023 until the verdict was delivered.

06.05.2025

18:24

Pskov Oblast

Irina Sidorova, a resident of Pskov, was fined under the article on “discrediting the army” (Part 1, Article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code) for sharing a three-year-old post on VKontakte. This was reported by her OVD-Info lawyer, Sergei Podolsky.

The reason was a post Sidorova shared on 13 March 2022, along with her own comment: “Here it is—the bitter truth!” The author of the original post criticised Russian propagandists, saying they had turned “poor, robbed and disenfranchised Russians into Z-ombies, rejoicing in war and hating the abstract ‘ukrops.’”

“Every day, dozens of times on all channels: ‘Ukrainians are the enemy! Ukraine is the Enemy! ’ Putin and his propagandists have succeeded in reprogramming mass consciousness! The success is obvious… Thousands have been killed on both sides, dozens of children have died—children who do not know Putin and have never harmed Russians… Three million people scattered across the world, their homes and towns destroyed—people built those for decades… So, Russians, are you happier and richer now?!” said the original post.

The Pskov City Court fined Sidorova 30,000 roubles (approximately US$330).

On 9 June, the Pskov Regional Court reduced Irina Sidorova’s fine from 30,000 roubles (US$330) to 15,000 roubles (US$165). This was reported by her lawyer, Mark Alexeyev.

The reason for the reduction of the fine is unknown. During the hearing, the lawyer asked for mitigating circumstances to be taken into account, including Sidorova’s chronic illness and the fact that she is the widow of a combat veteran.