Anton Grishin is a political prisoner
A member of a district council in Moscow has been sentenced to three and a half years of imprisonment for donating to the Anti-Corruption Foundation
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international criteria, considers Anton Grishin a political prisoner. Grishin was convicted on charges of financing extremist activities for alleged donations to Aleksei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation. His prosecution violated his rights to freedom of association and a fair trial. We demand the release of Anton Grishin and an end to all criminal prosecutions related to the financing of the Anti-Corruption Foundation.
What charges are brought in cases related to donations to the Anti-Corruption Foundation?
On 9 June 2021, Moscow City Court declared three of Aleksei Navalny’s organisations, including the Anti-Corruption Foundation, extremist. The ruling came into force on 4 August 2021.
The next day, Navalny’s team asked supporters for help and suggested using the secure payment service, Stripe.
On 6 September 2022, the first criminal cases related to donations to the Anti-Corruption Foundation became known. According to our information, since then, at least 59 people have been charged with financing extremism (Article 282.3, Part 1, of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Initially, law enforcement agencies took advantage of a technical error on the first day of fundraising: sometimes, Russian banks received text markers indirectly indicating the purpose of the payments. Subsequently, the investigative authorities used information about the ID number of the payment recipient in an American bank, although neither the identity of this recipient nor a connection to the Anti-Corruption Foundation has been proven.
The courts have already found at least 42 people guilty of financing the Anti-Corruption Foundation. Most of those convicted received large fines, while 11 were sentenced to terms of imprisonment (five of those imprisoned, including Aleksei Navalny himself, were also convicted on other charges).
In February 2025, a court of first instance sentenced Anton Grishin, a former member of the council of the Moscow district of Zyuzino, to a fine of 350,000 roubles. However, following an appeal by the prosecutor’s office, on 17 June 2025, Moscow City Court increased the sentence to three and a half years’ imprisonment. Grishin was taken into custody in the courtroom.
Grishin was accused of donating 3,500 roubles, making seven donations of 500 roubles.
Why do we consider Anton Grishin political prisoner?
We have analysed the materials that formed the basis for the ruling by Moscow City Court designating Aleksei Navalny’s associations as extremist. We consider this decision politically motivated and unlawful.
Firstly, no evidence of extremist activity by these organisations was presented. Politically motivated administrative and criminal prosecutions against individual staff members do not constitute such evidence.
Secondly, even regular checks of the organisations by the authorities had failed to find any extremism in their work, although the results of these checks were included in the case materials as confirmation of extremist activity.
Anton Grishin admitted he had subscribed to make regular donations to the Anti-Corruption Foundation, but claimed he wanted to support the fight against corruption, not extremism. The criminal prosecution of Grishin is based on an unlawful decision by Moscow City Court and is therefore also politically motivated and unlawful.
A detailed description of Anton Grishin’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 Anton Grishin at the following address:
RU: 172011, Тверская область, г. Торжок, ул. Старицкая, д. 79, ФКУ ИК-4 УФСИН России по Тверской области, Гришин Антон Андреевич, 1987 г. р.
EN: Anton Andreevich Grishin (born 1987), Penal Colony No. 4, Federal Penitentiary Service for Tver Oblast, 79 Staritskaya ulitsa, Torzhok, Tver Oblast, 172011, Russia.
You can also send emails via the ZT service (for payment with Russian bank cards), PrisonMail (for payment with foreign bank cards), F-Pismo (for payment with all 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.
