Yegor Starshinov and Kirill Smirnov are political prisoners
Two teenagers from Nizhny Novgorod have been sentenced to two and a half years in a penal colony for a video about their teachers and Russia’s war against Ukraine
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Yegor Starshinov and Kirill Smirnov political prisoners. The two teenagers were convicted on charges of ‘spreading information known to be false about the use of the Russian armed forces by a group acting in collusion.’ The charges were brought over a video in which Starshinov and Smirnov discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine. Their prosecution and conviction violated their rights to freedom of expression and fair trial. We demand their immediate release and that all criminal charges against them be dropped.
What were the charges against Yegor Starshinov and Kirill Smirnov?
In November 2023, the headteacher of Secondary School No. 82 in Nizhny Novgorod, Nina Govorova, contacted the police about a video in which high school students Yegor Starshinov and Kirill Smirnov are seen, sitting in a kitchen beneath portraits of Putin and Hitler, discussing their teachers and Russia’s war against Ukraine. The video was shared in a private Telegram channel with just 26 members.
Both teenagers were initially fined 30,000 roubles each under administrative law for ‘discrediting’ the use of the Russian armed forces.
On 12 August 2024, criminal charges for ‘spreading information about the use of the Russian armed forces known to be false by a group acting in collusion’ (Article 207.3, Part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code) were brought against them over the same video. By this time, the two teenagers had already left school.
On 10 April 2025, a court sentenced both Starshinov and Smirnov to serve two and a half years in a general regime penal colony. They were taken into custody in the courtroom.
Why do we consider Yegor Starshinov and Kirill Smirnov political prisoners?
The offence of spreading information known to be false about the actions of the Russian armed forces, of which the teenagers were convicted, was introduced into Russian law shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In practice, this law bans the dissemination of any information about the war that differs from the official line and thereby violates the right to freedom of expression. The law is in breach of both the Russian constitution and Russia’s international obligations. The law also violates fundamental legal principles, in particular that of legal certainty, since citizens cannot know in advance what information the authorities might classify as ‘false.’ All charges brought under this law are unlawful.
Starshinov and Smirnov had already been convicted and penalised under administrative law for the same video and their discussion of the war; they should not have been convicted in criminal proceedings for the same acts. We also consider the administrative law that penalises ‘discrediting’ of the army, under which the two teens were initially convicted, to be unlawful.
It is outrageous that two teenagers have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment for a private video in which they discussed topics that mattered to them, and which was shared only on a private Telegram channel. Their prosecution is clearly intended to intimidate all those who have views critical of the war launched by Russia against Ukraine.
A detailed description of Yegor Starshinov’s and Kirill Smirnov’s case and of our position is available on our website.
Recognition of an individual as a political prisoner does not imply the project, ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial,’ agrees with, or approves, their views, statements, or actions.
How can you help?
You can write to Yegor Starshinov and Kirill Smirnov at the following address:
RU: 603098, г. Нижний Новгород, просп. Гагарина, д. 26а, ФКУ СИЗО-1 ГУФСИН России по Нижегородской области, Старшинову Егору Алексеевичу 2006 г. р., Смирнову Кириллу Эдуардовичу 2006 г. р.
EN: Yegor Alekseevich Starshinov (born 2006) / Kirill Eduardovich Smirnov (born 2006), Remand Prison No. 1, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, 26A Gagarina Prospekt, Nizhny Novgorod, 603098, 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.
