Mikhail Fetisov is a political prisoner
Neurologist from St Petersburg fired for his anti-war stance and facing trial under two criminal charges over VK posts
Mikhail Fetisov is a neurologist from St Petersburg and has a third-degree disability. In summer 2024, his home was searched for the first time. Fetisov was not detained at the time, but was forced to resign from his job. After that, he was only able to find work as a security guard.
He continued to speak out in support of Ukraine. In particular, in June 2025, he commented on the torture of a Ukrainian prisoner of war whose abdomen had been branded with the words “Glory to Russia” and the letter Z. Fetisov suggested how and under what circumstances this might have been done; investigative journalists later reached similar conclusions.
On October 15, 2025, Fetisov was detained over three anti-war posts on VK and charged with spreading “fake news” about the Russian Armed Forces motivated by political hatred (Point “d” of Part 2 of Article 207.3 of the Russian Criminal Code) and publicly calling online for activities directed against the security of the Russian Federation (Point “c” of Part 2 of Article 280.4 of the Russian Criminal Code). The social network’s administration handed over the man’s personal data to the security services. In his posts, he called Russian soldiers bandits and scum, described the war as an invasion, quoted an article by Leonid Gozman about the execution of a prisoner of war and the crimes in Bucha, and posted instructions for Russian servicemen on how to surrender properly.
Despite his illnesses and disability, Fetisov was remanded in custody. In May 2026, the court began hearing the case on its merits, and he faces up to 12 years in prison. In court, the doctor acknowledged making the posts but denied guilt. He said that he did not understand the charges because they contradicted Article 29 of the Russian Constitution, and that “guilt is possible only if a crime has been committed.”
“The articles are unconstitutional; in time, everyone [accused and convicted under them] will be rehabilitated. <…> Russia has violated every possible international agreement, the convention on war. The time will come when all this will be considered war crimes,” Fetisov said in court.
A detailed description of Fetisov’s case and of our position is available on our website.
How can you help?
You can write to Mikhail Fetisov at the following address:
Ru:
196655, г. Санкт-Петербург, г. Колпино, ул. Колпинская, д. 9, стр. 1, ФКУ СИЗО-1 ГУФСИН России по г. Санкт-Петербургу и Ленинградской области, Фетисов Михаил Эразмович, 1974 г. р.
En:
Mikhail Erazmovich Fetisov, born 1974, Remand Prison No. 1, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for St Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast, 9 building 1 Kolpinskaya Street, Kolpino, St Petersburg, 196655, Russia.
You can also send emails via ZT (for payment with all bank cards) or PrisonMail (for payment with foreign 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.
