Aleksandr Mineev is a political prisoner
A Muscovite has been committed to a psychiatric hospital for compulsory treatment, accused of intending to set fire to a military recruitment centre
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Aleksandr Mineev a political prisoner. Mineev was committed to a psychiatric hospital for compulsory treatment on charges of preparing an act of terrorism and attempting to make public calls to engage in extremist activity after he allegedly tried to photograph a military enlistment office. Mineev’s criminal prosecution violated his right to a fair trial. We demand that Mineev be immediately released from the psychiatric hospital and that all criminal charges against him be dropped.
What were the charges against Aleksandr Mineev?
Police detained Aleksandr Mineev on 9 October 2023 at a military recruitment centre in Moscow when he allegedly attempted to photograph the building. He was initially jailed for 15 days for an administrative offence of petty hooliganism. However, during his trial he allegedly stated he had intended to set fire to the building.
On 13 June 2024, Mineev was arrested on a criminal charge of preparing an act of terrorism (Article 30, Part 1 of Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). According to the prosecution, he was contacted via a messenger by certain ‘supporters of Ukraine’ who, ‘taking advantage of his suggestibility,’ convinced him to set fire to the military enlistment office. Mineev allegedly visited the building several times to study escape routes. Later, Mineev was additionally charged with attempting to make public calls to engage in extremist activity (Article 30, Part 3, CC RF, in conjunction with Article 280, Part 1, CC RF).
On 24 March 2025, a court found Mineev of unsound mind and ordered him to undergo compulsory treatment in a psychiatric hospital.
Why do we consider Aleksandr Mineev a political prisoner?
The charge against Aleksandr Mineev of preparing a terrorist attack is unfounded. Arson attacks on military recruitment centres should not be arbitrarily classified as terrorist attacks. A terrorist attack involves intimidation of the population, creation of a danger of death, and causing significant property damage or other serious consequences. Instances of arson attacks on military recruitment centres known to us do not have these characteristics. ‘Preparation of a terrorist attack’ as such is practically impossible to prove. If Mineev had indeed planned to set fire to the military recruitment centre and carried out the act, this would constitute the offence of damage to property by arson. However, there is no offence of ‘preparation’ to commit such a crime.
The fact that the criminal case against Mineev was not initiated immediately, but only eight months after his arrest at the military recruitment centre, indicates the security forces initially lacked sufficient evidence to charge him. However, subsequently they decided to proceed with the case anyway.
We consider Mineev’s criminal prosecution for attempting to make calls to engage in extremism absurd. Firstly, he never made any calls of this nature. Secondly, even if he had, they would hardly have posed a danger to society.
Regardless of whether Mineev is suffering from psychiatric disorders, his placement in a psychiatric hospital was a result of unlawful prosecution and is therefore illegal and constitutes a case of punitive psychiatry.
A detailed description of Aleksandr Mineev’s case and of our position is available on our website.
How can you help?
You can write to Aleksandr Mineev at the following address:
RU:
142370, Московская область, Чеховский р-н, c. Троицкое, д. 5, ГБУЗ «ПКБ № 5 ДЗМ», Минеев Александр Алексеевич, 1996 г. р.
EN:
Aleksandr Alekseevich Mineev (born 1996), State Budgetary Healthcare Institution ‘Psychiatric Clinical Hospital No. 5 of Moscow City Health Department’, 5 village Troitskoye, Chekhovsky district, Moscow Oblast, 142370, Russia.
Please note that letters in languages other than Russian are highly unlikely to reach the intended recipient.
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