Artyom Skakalin and Anatoly Poplavsky are political prisoners
A caretaker from Tambov and an employee of an oil and gas company from Moscow have been convicted for allegedly attempting to join the Free Russia Legion
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Artyom Skakalin and Anatoly Poplavsky political prisoners. Skakalin and Poplavsky were convicted on charges of preparing to participate, on the territory of a foreign state, in an armed formation not provided for by the legislation of that state, for purposes contrary to the interests of the Russian Federation, and for collaborating with the Free Russia Legion. The criminal prosecutions and convictions of Artyom Skakalin and Anatoly Poplavsky violated their rights to a fair trial. We demand that their convictions be quashed and that Poplavsky’s allegations of torture be investigated.
What were the charges against Artyom Skakalin and Anatoly Poplavsky?
Artyom Skakalin from Tambov was detained on 27 June 2022 in Bryansk Oblast while attempting to cross the border into Ukraine. He was initially jailed for the administrative-law offence of disobeying a military officer’s order relating to the protection of the state border. On 4 July, a criminal case was opened against him. According to the investigative authorities, Skakalin had expressed opposition to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and had decided to go and fight as part of the Free Russia Legion. To that end, he subscribed to the Legion’s Telegram channel and began corresponding with a ‘recruiter.’ Skakalin was remanded in custody on a charge of attempting to participate, on the territory of a foreign state, in an armed formation not provided for by the legislation of that state, for purposes contrary to the interests of the Russian Federation (Article 30, Part 3, of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation in conjunction with Article 208, Part 3, CC RF).
Anatoly Poplavsky was detained on 7 October 2022 in Moscow. According to Poplavsky, he was taken to a forest with a bag over his head and, under torture, forced to unlock his phone, on which comments critical of the Russian army and an application form to join the Free Russia Legion were found. Poplavsky was initially jailed for 15 days on a charge of alleged petty hooliganism, after which he was remanded in custody on a criminal charge of preparing to participate in an armed group not provided for by the legislation of this state, for purposes contrary to the interests of the Russian Federation (Article 30, Part 1, CC RF in conjunction with Article 208, Part 3, CC RF). Poplavsky said he had been drunk when he filled in the application form and had not actually intended to go to fight. Poplavsky likely attracted the attention of the security services because he had spent much time in Kyiv, where his wife and children live.
On 20 October 2022, Skakalin was convicted. After an appeal, he was sentenced to seven years in a strict regime penal colony, with the first two years to be served in a cell-type prison. On 2 November 2023, Poplavsky was sentenced to five and a half years in a strict regime penal colony, with the first two and a half years to be served in a cell-type prison.
Why do we consider Artyom Skakalin and Anatoly Poplavsky political prisoners?
It is not known whether Skakalin and Poplavsky intended to join the Ukrainian armed forces. However, even if they had intended so to do, they should not have faced criminal prosecution. You can read more about our analysis of such cases here.
Reference is made to Skakalin’s conviction in the decision designating the Free Russia Legion a terrorist organisation, which we consider unlawful.
The torture of Poplavsky, and his jailing on trumped-up administrative-law charges prior to the bringing of criminal charges against him, also attest to the unlawful nature of his prosecution.
The detailed descriptions of the cases of Artyom Skakalin and Anatoly Poplavsky and of our position are available on our website.
How can you help?
You can write to Artyom Skakalin and Anatoly Poplavsky at the following addresses:
RU:
Российская Федерация, 392000, г. Тамбов, ул. Мичуринская, д. 57, ФКУ ИК-1 УФСИН России по Тамбовской области, Скакалин Артём Алексеевич, 1994 г. р.
EN:
Artyom Alekseevich Skakalin (born 1994), Penal Colony No. 1, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Tambov Oblast, 57 Michurinskaya Street, Tambov, 392000, Russia.
RU:
Российская Федерация, 457670, Челябинская область, г. Верхнеуральск, ул. Северная, д. 1, ФКУ Т ГУФСИН России по Челябинской области, Поплавский Анатолий Эдуардович, 1968 г. р.
EN:
Anatoly Eduardovich Poplavsky (born 1968), Prison of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Chelyabinsk Oblast, 1 Severnaya Street, Verkhneuralsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast, 457670, Russia.
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