Igor Sapozhnikov is a political prisoner
A resident of Tula Oblast has been sentenced to four years and six months in a penal colony on a charge of making calls to act against Russia’s security for reposts on Facebook
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Igor Sapozhnikov a political prisoner. Sapozhnikov was convicted on a charge of ‘making public calls to engage in activities directed against the security of the Russian Federation’ for reposts on Facebook. Sapozhnikov’s criminal prosecution and conviction violated his rights to freedom of expression and fair trial. We demand the immediate release of Igor Sapozhnikov and that all criminal charges against him be dropped.
Who is Igor Sapozhnikov and what were the charges against him?
On 25 June 2024 Igor Sapozhnikov, a resident of the city of Aleksin in Tula Oblast, was detained on a charge of ‘making public calls to engage in activities directed against the security of the Russian Federation’ (Article 280.4, Part 2 [c], of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
The grounds for Sapozhnikov’s criminal prosecution were reposts he made on his Facebook page. In 2023–2024, he reposted five publications by the Free Russia Legion and a certain ‘Ukrainian volunteer.’ The security forces considered that these posts contained calls to fund the Ukrainian armed forces and the Free Russia Legion, as well as to collude with the Legion.
On 6 November 2024, Igor Sapozhnikov was sentenced to four years in a general regime penal colony and banned from administering websites for three years. On 30 January 2025, a court of appeal increased the sentence to four and a half years in a penal colony.
Why do we consider Igor Sapozhnikov a political prisoner?
The law criminalising the making of calls to engage in activities directed against state security is extremely broad and vague. Consequently, it can be applied arbitrarily to prosecute virtually any statements regarding the activities of the state.
However, the greatest threat to Russia’s security comes from the actions of the Russian authorities, who unleashed the war against Ukraine. For this reason, calls to counter this aggression can be considered beneficial to society. Fundraising to help Ukraine is directed towards countering Russia’s aggression.
We do not know the content of the post, which the investigative authorities alleged contained a call to collude with the Free Russia Legion. However, apparently the post concerned cooperation to repel Russia’s invasion. The law that criminalises ‘collusion’ with foreign states and organisations also fails to comply with the principle of legal certainty. It effectively prohibits any communication with foreigners and provides for punishment not for specific actions, but merely for an alleged intention to ‘facilitate’ some undefined ‘activity.’
Sapozhnikov’s prosecution shows how the law criminalising public calls for activities directed against Russia’s security is used against dissidents, in particular those who criticise Russia’s war against Ukraine.
A detailed description of Igor Sapozhnikov’s case and of our position is available on our website.
How can you help?
You can write to Igor Sapozhnikov at the following address:
RU:
172011, Тверская область, г. Торжок, ул. Старицкая, д. 79, ФКУ ИК-4 УФСИН России по Тверской области, Сапожникову Игорю Валентиновичу 1973 г. р.
EN:
Igor Valentinovich Sapozhnikov (born 1973), Penal Colony No. 4, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Tver Oblast, 79 Staritskaya Street, Torzhok, Tver Oblast, 172011, Russia
You can also send emails via F-Pismo (for payment with Russian bank cards), ZT (for payment with all bank cards), and Memorial-France (free of charge).
Please note that letters in languages other than Russian are highly unlikely to reach the intended recipient.
You can donate to help all political prisoners in Russia.’
