Aleksandr Voevodkin is a political prisoner
A businessman from St. Petersburg has been remanded in custody on charges of collusion with China
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Aleksandr Voevodkin a political prisoner. Voevodkin is being prosecuted on a charge of collusion with a foreign state. Voevodkin’s criminal prosecution violates his right to a fair trial. We demand the immediate release of Aleksandr Voevodkin and that all criminal charges against him be dropped.
What are the charges against Aleksandr Voevodkin?
On 14 March 2025 Aleksandr Voevodkin, a businessman who sells orthopaedic products and laboratory vacuum pumps and compressors, was placed under house arrest on a charge of ‘wanting to collude with the People’s Republic of China’ (Article 275.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). On 25 March 2025, a court of appeal remanded Voevodkin in custody.
No other details of the case or Voevodkin’s views are known. He faces up to eight years’ imprisonment if convicted.
Why do we consider Aleksandr Voevodkin a political prisoner?
The offence of ‘collusion’ was introduced into the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation in July 2022 as yet one more tool to be used by the authorities to combat ‘internal enemies.’ The law’s provisions do not comply with the principle of legal certainty, effectively serving to criminalise any communication between Russian citizens and foreigners. The law provides for punishment not for specific actions, but merely for an alleged intention to ‘facilitate’ some undefined ‘activity.’
The law on ‘collusion’ should be repealed, all related criminal convictions quashed and ongoing charges dropped.
Voevodkin’s case shows that although the law on ‘collusion’ was adopted primarily to prosecute contacts with Western countries and Ukraine, the security forces can use it in other instances as well.
If the investigative authorities had sufficient evidence that Voevodkin’s actions posed a threat to Russia’s security, he would have been charged with a different offence. The security forces use the offence of ‘collusion’ to intimidate society and avoid the need to actually prove the guilt of the accused.
A detailed description of Aleksandr Voevodkin’s case and of our position is available on our website.
How can you help?
If you have information about the detention centre where Aleksandr Voevodkin is being held, please let us know by email [email protected]
You can donate to help all political prisoners in Russia.
