Aleksei Detychev is a political prisoner
An employee of the Russian Red Cross and former regional deputy minister from Khabarovsk has been sentenced to four and a half years in a penal colony for ‘collusion’ with the United Kingdom
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Aleksei Detychev a political prisoner. Detychev was convicted on a criminal charge of collusion with a foreign state for communicating with a representative of the UK. Detychev’s criminal prosecution and conviction violated his right to a fair trial. We demand the immediate release of Aleksei Detychev and that all criminal charges against him be dropped.
Who is Aleksei Detychev and what were the charges against him?
Aleksei Detychev worked for the Khabarovsk regional branch of the Russian Red Cross since the early 2000s. From 2014 to 2016, he was a regional government official serving as deputy minister for international and interregional cooperation. He then returned to work for the Russian Red Cross.
Detychev was apparently detained in June 2023. The full reasons for his arrest have not been made public. Officially, it was reported that Detychev had maintained relations with a representative of the United Kingdom and ‘offered to independently conduct anti-Russian propaganda among young Russians, using opportunities he had for this in educational institutions, and also collected and transmitted reliable and up-to-date information about the production of military equipment by the military-industrial complex in Khabarovsk Krai.’
Detychev was charged with collusion with a foreign state (Article 275.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). On 5 May 2025, he was sentenced to four and a half years in a general regime penal colony.
Why do we consider Aleksei Detychev a political prisoner?
The article on ‘collusion’ was adopted into law in July 2022. It has become yet another tool used by the regime in its fight against ‘internal enemies.’ The article’s provisions do not comply with the principle of legal certainty since the law serves to criminalize any communication with foreigners. It provides for punishment not for specific actions, but merely for an alleged intention to ‘promote’ an undefined ‘activity.’ The article on ‘collusion’ should be repealed, all related convictions quashed and ongoing prosecutions closed.
The charge against Detychev of ‘anti-Russian propaganda’ does not stand up to criticism. Such actions are in no way a crime or any violation of the law. As for the charge of collecting and transmitting information about military equipment manufactured in Khabarovsk Krai, this information was most likely publicly available and did not constitute a state secret. If this information had been classified, Detychev would have been charged with treason in the form of espionage. By means of the article of the Russian Criminal Code on ‘collusion,’ the security forces intimidate the public and dispense with the need to actually prove the guilt of the accused.
A detailed description of Aleksei Detychev’s case and of our position is available on our website.
How can you help?
You can write to Aleksei Detychev at the following address:
RU:
680038, г. Хабаровск, ул. Знаменщикова, д. 6, ФКУ СИЗО-1 УФСИН России по Хабаровскому краю, Детычеву Алексею Владимировичу 1979 г. р.
EN:
Aleksei Vladimirovich Detychev (born 1979), Remand Prison No. 1, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Khabarovsk Krai, 6 Znamenshchikova Street, Khabarovsk, 680038, Russian Federation.
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