Varvara Lemann is a political prisoner
A shoe saleswoman from St. Petersburg has been sentenced to three years in a penal colony for reposting a video and a comment on Telegram
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international criteria, considers Varvara Lemann a political prisoner. Lemann was convicted of making calls to engage in terrorism for publishing a propaganda video by the Free Russia Legion on a Telegram channel. Lemann’s prosecution and conviction violated her rights to freedom of expression and fair trial. We demand the release of Varvara Lemann and the dropping of all criminal charges against her.
What were the charges against Varvara Lemann?
Varvara Lemann is a resident of St. Petersburg who worked as a shoe saleswoman, looked after her sick grandmother and helped at an animal shelter.
In 2024, a criminal case was brought against Lemann, then 34 years old, on a charge of making public calls to engage in terrorist activity using the Internet (Article 205.2, Part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code). According to the prosecution, on 23 April 2022, Lemann posted a video on the Telegram channel Satira bez pozitiva [Satire Without Positivity] containing propaganda from the Free Russia Legion calling on Russian military personnel to switch sides to Ukraine. The prosecution considered this publication to be a call for the violent seizure of power, which falls within the definition of terrorist activity.
Lemann pleaded guilty in court, saying she repented her action and had changed her views. She also donated to a pro-war fund. However, the prosecutor stressed that Lemann ‘considered the SVO [special military operation] unacceptable and tried to fight it with the means available to her.’
On 23 January 2025, Lemann was sentenced to three years in a general-regime penal colony and banned from administering internet resources for two years following her release. Lemann was taken into custody in the courtroom.
Why do we consider Varvara Lemann a political prisoner?
The video Lemann posted does not contain calls for violence. It is an appeal to the military, not an incitement to terrorist activity. Phrases such as ‘let’s free Russia from Putin’ are political statements, not calls for terrorism.
Even if we assume the video did contain calls for the violent seizure of power, the actual public danger of reposting it is extremely low. Lemann was not a public figure, did not influence the target audience of the appeal (Navy personnel) and reposted the video on a channel with a small audience.
At the same time, Lemann made the publication against the background of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Her prosecution is part of the Russian authorities’ overall strategy of intimidating dissenters.
A detailed description of the case of Varvara Lemann and of our position on our website.
Recognition of an individual as a political prisoner does not imply the ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project agrees with, or approves, their views, statements, or actions.
How can you help?
You can write to Varvara Lemann at the following address:
RU: 187010, Ленинградская область, Тосненcкий р-н, гп. Ульяновка, Ульяновское шоссе, д. 76, ФКУ ИК-2 ГУФСИН России по г. Санкт-Петербургу и Ленинградской области, Леманн Варвара Викторовна, 1990 г. р.
EN: Lemann Varvara Viktorovna (born 1990), Penal Colony No. 2, Federal Penitentiary Service for the City of St Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast, Leningrad Oblast, 76 Ulyanovskoe Shosse, Ylyanovka, 187010, Russia.
You can also send emails via the ZT service (for payment with all bank cards), PrisonMail (for payment with foreign bank cards), F-Pismo (for payment with Russian bank cards), Memorial-France and OVD-Info (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.
