Yevgeny Mishchenko is a political prisoner
A volunteer at the ‘Nemtsov Bridge’ memorial has been sentenced to 12 years in a strict regime penal colony for corresponding with the Free Russia Legion and filming military facilities
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Yevgeny Mishchenko a political prisoner. Mishchenko was convicted of participating in a terrorist organisation for corresponding with an alleged representative of the Free Russia Legion and filming military facilities. His prosecution and conviction violated his right to a fair trial. We demand the release of Yevgeny Mishchenko and that all criminal charges against him be dropped.
Who is Yevgeny Mishchenko and what were the charges against him?
Yevgeny Mishchenko is an engineer from Moscow and a volunteer at the informal Boris Nemtsov memorial at the place of his murder in the Russian capital. On 11 September 2023 Mishchenko was detained and his apartment and country dacha were searched without the presence of a lawyer. Mishchenko maintains that at the time of his arrest, the law enforcement officers threatened and beat him in an effort to make him confess.
Mishchenko was charged with ‘participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation’ (Article 205.5, Part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code). According to the investigative authorities, he had entered into correspondence with a representative of the Free Russia Legion, passing on coordinates, photographs and videos of military facilities, and even offering his country dacha for use by the Legion. The main witness for the prosecution was an FSB agent who actively incited Mishchenko to take these actions and accompanied him on visits to military sites.
On 9 October 2024, a military court in Moscow sentenced Mishchenko to 12 years’ imprisonment, of which the first three years are to be served in a cell-type prison and the remainder in a strict regime penal colony.
Why do we consider Yevgeny Mishchenko a political prisoner?
Yevgeny Mishchenko was convicted on terrorism charges for alleged involvement with the Free Russia Legion. We consider the Russian court decision designating this Ukrainian unit a terrorist organisation to be unlawful and unfounded. The Legion is part of the Ukrainian armed forces; its activity in the course of the armed conflict is not terrorism, but the legitimate defence of Ukraine from aggression.
We do not know whether Mishchenko actually did communicate with representatives of the Legion. However, the actions imputed to him do not constitute a crime. His attempts to gather and transmit information are not related to terrorism and do not pose a genuine threat to the public.
Moreover, Mishchenko’s case bears the hallmarks of a police sting operation. The decisive role was played by an embedded FSB agent who initiated conversations and pushed Mishchenko into taking action.
Mishchenko’s conviction was largely based on a confession that he most likely made under torture. In court, Mishchenko retracted his testimony. He explained his actions as a protest against the war: ‘I wanted to show that not everyone had gone mad. The police operatives exploited my naivety.’
A detailed description of Yevgeny Mishchenko’s case and of our position is available 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 Yevgeny Mishchenko at the following address:
RU: 399783, Липецкая область, г. Елец, ул. Пролетарская, д. 1Б, ФКУ Т-2 УФСИН России по Липецкой области, Мищенко Евгению Олеговичу 1974 г. р.
EN: Yevgeny Olegovich Mishchenko (born 1974), Prison No. 2, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Lipetsk Oblast, 1B Proletarskaya Street, Yelets, Lipetsk Oblast, 399783, Russia.
You can also send an email using ZT (for payment with all bank cards), OVD-Info 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.
