Grigory Severin is a political prisoner
An activist from Voronezh is being prosecuted for seeking to persuade fellow inmates in a penal colony not to go to fight in the war against Ukraine.
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Grigory Severin a political prisoner. Severin is being prosecuted on a charge of repeated public ‘discrediting’ of the use of the Russian armed forces for attempting, while serving a politically motivated sentence in a penal colony, to dissuade other inmates from going to fight in the war against Ukraine. His prosecution violates his rights to freedom of expression and fair trial. We demand his immediate release and that all criminal charges against him be dropped.
Who is Grigory Severin and what are the charges against him?
Grigory Severin is a political activist from Voronezh and a participant in protests, as a result of which, in 2019, he was dismissed from his position as a university physics lecturer.
In 2022, Severin was sentenced to two years in a low-security penal colony on a charge of ‘making public calls on the internet to engage in extremism’ (Article 280, Part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code). He completed his sentence and was released in September 2024.
Six months later, on 22 April 2025, searches were conducted of the homes of Grigory Severin and other Voronezh activists, apparently related to the opposition Telegram channel Free People of Voronezh.
After the search, Severin was charged with repeated public ‘discrediting’ of the Russian armed forces (Article 280.3, Part 1). According to the investigative authorities, while in the penal colony Severin had spoken of the ‘beating, torture, arrest and imprisonment of Ukrainian civilians,’ tried to dissuade other inmates from going to fight in the war against Ukraine, and undermined trust in the actions of the Russian military. This criminal prosecution was based on the fact that he had previously been repeatedly prosecuted under administrative law for ‘discrediting’ the armed forces.
On 23 April 2025, a court in Voronezh remanded Severin in custody. He faces up to five years’ imprisonment if convicted.
Why do we consider Grigory Severin a political prisoner?
The offence of ‘discrediting’ the Russian armed forces was introduced into the Criminal Code immediately after the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. In effect, it bans criticism of the actions of the Russian authorities and violates the right to freedom of expression. This law contradicts the Russian Constitution, Russia’s international obligations and fundamental principles of law. The relevant article of the Criminal Code should be rescinded, all related convictions quashed and ongoing prosecutions dropped.
Severin’s conversations, in which he informed fellow inmates about war crimes and sought to dissuade them from taking part in the war of aggression, did not constitute any danger to society, but, on the contrary, were socially beneficial.
The charges against Severin are based on testimony from inmates who are wholly dependent on the prison authorities and, most likely, on provocations by officers of the Federal Penitentiary Service. This further underlines the dubious and politically motivated nature of the prosecution.
We believe the criminal prosecution of Severin was retaliation for his anti-war and opposition views.
A detailed description of Grigory Severin’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 Grigory Severin at the following address:
RU: 394030, г. Воронеж, ул. Желябова, д. 56, ФКУ СИЗО-1 УФСИН России по Воронежской области, Северину Григорию Юрьевичу 1977 г. р.
EN: Grigory Yuryevich Severin (born 1977), Remand Prison No. 1, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Voronezh Oblast, 56 Zhelyabova Street, Voronezh, 394030, Russia.
You can also send an email using F-Pismo (for payment with Russian bank cards), PrisonMail (for payment with other bank cards), 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.
