Sergei Kovtonyuk is a political prisoner
A resident of Murmansk Oblast has been sentenced to three years in a penal colony for posting a Ukrainian song on social media
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Sergei Kovtonyuk a political prisoner. Kovtonyuk has been convicted of publicly justifying terrorism online for posting a song on his page on VK. His prosecution and conviction violate his rights to freedom of expression and fair trial. We demand the immediate release of Sergei Kovtonyuk and that all criminal charges against him be dropped.
What were the charges against Sergei Kovtonyuk?
Sergei Kovtonyuk, a car mechanic from the town of Kola in Murmansk Oblast and father of a young child, was fined 30,000 roubles in 2023 on an administrative-law charge of ‘discrediting the army.’ Later, after reviewing his page on VK, the investigative authorities brought criminal charges against him for public justification of terrorism (Article 205.2, Part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code). The basis for the charge was a Ukrainian song Kovtonyuk posted on 22 October 2022, which investigators deemed ‘extremist.’ In March 2024, Kovtonyuk was remanded in custody.
Soon after the case was initiated, Kovtonyuk published a post stating that he had ‘reconsidered his views.’ He wrote: ‘I have many relatives living in Ukraine, brothers, sisters, my grandmother and grandfather. When I posted that song, it was meant more as a message to them, to my relatives.’
On 7 August 2024, a military court sentenced Sergei Kovtonyuk to serve three years in a general regime penal colony. In addition, he was banned from administering websites or online channels for two years.
Why do we consider Sergei Kovtonyuk a political prisoner?
A charge of justifying or promoting terrorism is often used by the Russian authorities to silence those holding dissenting or anti-war views, rather than to prevent any genuine threat to public safety. Prosecutions of this kind allow law enforcement agencies to improve their performance statistics and intimidate the public.
We do not know what song Sergei Kovtonyuk posted on VK. Nevertheless, regardless of its content, a custodial sentence is grossly disproportionate and unjustified. His actions clearly posed no danger to the public. The song, posted on his personal account in 2022, did not and could not have had any harmful consequences.
If the song did express any form of ‘justification’, this was most likely support for the lawful actions of the Ukrainian armed forces in defending their country, not support for terrorist attacks or ideology. Moreover, a song is a form of artistic expression that has figurative rather than literal meaning and is certainly not equivalent to a direct incitement to violence.
Kovtonyuk’s previous administrative-law conviction for ‘discrediting the army’ highlighted his anti-war views, which were the real reason for his subsequent criminal prosecution. In the context of Russia’s continuing war against Ukraine, his position deserves respect, not punishment.
A detailed description of Sergei Kovtonyuk’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 Sergei Kovtonyuk at the following address:
RU: 613040, Кировская область, г. Кирово-Чепецк, ул. Овражная, д. 16, ФКУ ИК-5 УФСИН России по Кировской области, Ковтонюку Сергею Николаевичу, 1989 г. р.
EN: Sergei Nikolaevich Kovtonyuk (born 1989), Penal Colony No. 5, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Kirov Oblast, 16 Ovrazhnaya Street, Kirovo-Chepetsk, Kirov Oblast, 613040, Russia.
You can also send an email using the ZT service (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.
