Criminal prosecutions for donations, anti-war graffiti, social media posts, and distributing leaflets — in September 2025, the project Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial recognized 11 more Russians as political prisoners. Who are they, and what exactly did they do to provoke the wrath of their own state?
Roman Grigoryan, an entrepreneur from Sevastopol, was sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges of “treason.” He had emigrated in 2023, but his anti-war posts online were reported by informants from the pro-Kremlin group Crimean SMERSH. Upon returning to Crimea, he was arrested.
Yuri Samsonov from Udmurtia received six years in prison for a social media comment in support of the Russian Volunteer Corps, an organization banned as “terrorist” in Russia.
Roman Linkov, a welder from Penza, was accused of “participation in a terrorist organization” and “confidential cooperation with a foreign state” for exchanging messages with representatives of the Freedom of Russia Legion (banned in Russia) and for posting leaflets. After his arrest, he was taken to a forest, beaten, and threatened until he gave a forced confession.
Arsentiy Derenuța, a dual citizen of Moldova and Russia, was sentenced to five years for “confidential cooperation with a foreign state.” According to investigators, he allegedly corresponded with a representative of an unnamed Ukrainian organization to collect information about military facilities in the Altai region.
Alexander Arseniev from Moscow is charged with vandalism and “discrediting the army” for writing “I don’t want to get used to war” on a fence.
Igor Siomik from St. Petersburg received 10 years in a maximum-security colony for “financing terrorism” — allegedly for transferring money to the Ukrainian Azov unit (banned in Russia). He was initially acquitted when the court confirmed that the funds were used for civilian needs, but the acquittal was later overturned.
Five more people from different regions of Russia — Asya Sorshneva, Elena Guseva, Irina Fayzullina, Dmitry Regush, and Dmitry Semyonov — were detained in a case of “financing extremist activities.” Earlier, we reported on the absurd charges brought against two residents of the Perm region — Elena Guseva and Irina Fayzullina.
The team of the Virtual Museum “Perm-36” expresses its solidarity with Elena, Irina, and all Russian citizens who, despite pressure and threats, find the courage to resist totalitarianism and defend human dignity and democratic values.
Full list of political prisoners in Russia