Ilya Chubukov is a political prisoner
A programmer from Belgorod sentenced to 6.5 years in a penal colony after being accused of setting fire to a Z-shaped installation and possessing a grenade
On the night of September 18, 2023, a large illuminated installation in the shape of the letter “Z” was set on fire in Belgorod. According to the city’s mayor, the structure was barely damaged because people in passing cars quickly extinguished the fire.
Soon afterwards, 28-year-old programmer Ilya Chubukov was detained on suspicion of setting the fire. According to the official account, this took place on September 20, 2023. However, the young man maintains that he was detained the day before and brutally tortured with stun guns and a gas torch, and that he was threatened with having his legs cut off. During his detention, Chubukov’s key to his room in a dormitory was confiscated. When he was taken there for a search of the premises, a grenade, a TNT block and a detonator were found in the room. During the investigation and trial, Ilya Chubukov insisted that these items had been planted by FSB officers. Nevertheless, on January 21, 2025, the court sentenced him to 6.5 years in prison under the articles on vandalism motivated by political hatred (Part 2 of Article 214 of the Russian Criminal Code) and the possession of explosive devices and explosives (Part 1 of Article 222.1 of the Russian Criminal Code).
We believe that setting fire to an installation promoting the war, if it does not result in serious consequences, should not be punishable by imprisonment. It is a form of protest and political criticism in circumstances where other ways of expressing one’s views in Russia are virtually inaccessible and severely punished. It is also doubtful that this act could be classified as vandalism motivated by political hatred. Investigators and courts routinely attribute this motive arbitrarily in order to bring more serious charges.
Although the arson of the Z-shaped installation was the reason for Chubukov’s prosecution, the lengthy prison sentence was imposed primarily under the article on the possession of explosive devices. At the same time, we do not believe that Ilya Chubukov’s guilt in possessing the grenade and TNT block was convincingly proven in court. For unexplained reasons, and in violation of legal requirements, the physical evidence was destroyed before the case was considered on its merits, no fingerprint examination was conducted, and Ilya Chubukov’s account of the torture is objectively corroborated by photographs taken by his lawyer. The photographs clearly show signs of violence inflicted on Chubukov. In these circumstances, the young man’s account that he was tortured and then framed by having ammunition planted on him appears more credible than the prosecution’s account, which is riddled with inconsistencies and procedural errors.
A detailed description of Chubukov’s case and of our position is available on our website.
How can you help?
You can write to Ilya Chubukov at the following address:
Ru: 236010, г. Калининград, пр-т Победы, д. 205, ФКУ ИК-8 УФСИН России по Калининградской области, Чубуков Илья Александрович, 1994 г. р.
En: Penal Colony No. 8, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Kaliningrad Oblast, 205 Pobedy Avenue, Kaliningrad, 236010, Russia, Chubukov Ilya Aleksandrovich, born 1994.
You can also use the ZT service to send a letter and pay with all bank cards.
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.
