Nikolai Tsymbalyuk is a political prisoner
A resident of Altai Krai was convicted on a charge of terrorism and sentenced to six years in a penal colony for reposting texts by Arkady Babchenko on Telegram
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Nikolai Tsymbalyuk a political prisoner. Tsymbalyuk was convicted on charges of making calls to engage in terrorism and actions against the security of Russia. He had reposted on Telegram posts by the journalist Arkady Babchenko about fundraising for those defending Ukraine from Russian aggression. Tsymbalyuk’s prosecution and conviction violated his right to freedom of speech and fair trial. We demand that Tsymbalyuk be immediately released, his conviction quashed, and all criminal charges against him dropped.
What were the charges against Nikolai Tsymbalyuk?
In the spring of 2022, Nikolai Tsymbalyuk, a resident of the village of Firsovo in Altai Krai, created a Telegram channel entitled, ‘Carthage Must Be Destroyed!’ He then posted on the channel materials critical of the Russian authorities, including anti-war materials.
In February 2024, a criminal case was initiated against Tsymbalyuk. He was charged with reposting three texts by the journalist Arkady Babchenko in October and December 2022. In two of them, Babchenko had called for donations to be made in support of the Ukrainian armed forces. The investigative authorities considered these two posts calls to engage in treason, or ‘activities against the security of the Russian Federation’ (Article 280.4, Part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code). In the third post, Babchenko had listed military units that had received items purchased with the donated funds, including the Noman Çelebicihan Battalion, which has been designated a terrorist organisation by Russia. The investigative authorities considered this post to constitute a public call to engage in terrorism (Article 205.2, Part 2, of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
On 18 February 2024, Tsymbalyuk was remanded in custody. On 9 September 2024, he was sentenced to six years in a general-regime penal colony.
Why do we consider Tsymbalyuk a political prisoner?
When Nikolai Tsymbalyuk reposted texts calling for donations to the Ukrainian armed forces for the purchase of medical supplies, he intended no harm to the security of Russia, but to assist Ukraine, which had become a victim of Russian aggression.
Our project has repeatedly stated that there is no evidence of terrorist activity by the Noman Çelebicihan Battalion. Therefore, we believe that the Russian Supreme Court’s designation of this body as a terrorist organisation was unfounded and unlawful. This ruling paved the way for repression against Crimean Tatars who oppose the Russian occupying authorities; it can also be used against other opponents of the policies of Russia’s political leadership. Moreover, Russia considers a group that operated along the administrative border with Crimea in 2015-2016 to be a terrorist organisation, but the post in question about donations refers to a different unit — an assault battalion of the Ukrainian armed forces with the same name, which was formed later.
At the time the criminal case was initiated against Nikolai Tsymbalyuk, his Telegram channel had only ten subscribers, which means his posts posed no real danger to society.
A more detailed description of the case of Nikolai Tsymbalyuk and the position of the human rights project 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 Nikolai Tsymbalyuk at the following address:
In Russian:
656021, Алтайский край, Барнаул, Канатный пр-д, 81, ФКУ СИЗО-1 УФСИН по России по Алтайскому краю, Цымбалюку Николаю Владимировичу 1976 г. р.
In English:
Nikolai Vladimirovich Tsymbalyuk (born 1976), Remand Prison No. 1, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Altai Krai, 81 Kanatny Proezd, Barnaul, Altai Krai, 656021, Russia.
You can also send an email via ZT (for payment with Russian cards), OVD-Info and Memorial-France (free of charge).
Please note that letters in languages other than Russian are highly unlikely to reach the recipient.You can donate to help all political prisoners in Russia.
