Ioann, Aleksei and Timofei Ashcheulov are political prisoners
Three sons of a priest have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment of up to 17.5 years for attempting to join the Free Russia Legion.
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Ioann, Aleksei and Timofei Ashcheulov political prisoners. The Ashcheulov brothers were convicted on charges of attempted participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation, attempted treason, and attempted unlawful crossing of the state border by a group of persons acting in collusion, because they sought to join the Free Russia Legion. The prosecution and conviction of the Ashcheulov brothers violated their right to a fair trial. We demand that the verdicts be quashed, that the charges of attempting to participate in a terrorist organisation and attempted treason be dropped, and that the charge of attempted unlawful border crossing be reheard in a fair trial.
Who are the Ashcheulov brothers and what were the charges against them?
Ioann, Aleksei and Timofei Ashcheulov are the sons of Igor Ashcheulov, a priest from Lipetsk. Ioann worked as a junior research fellow at the Institute of Physics in Minsk, while Aleksei and Timofei lived in St Petersburg and were employed in road construction.
On the evening of 24 July 2023, the Ashcheulov brothers were detained by border guards near the Russian-Ukrainian border. Initially, they were jailed on an administrative-law charge for having allegedly disobeyed border guards. They were subsequently remanded in custody.
On 3 August 2023, they were formally detained by the FSB. The Ashcheulov brothers, who had planned to cross the border to join the Free Russia Legion, were charged with attempted participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation (Article 30, Part 3, in conjunction with Article 205.5, Part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code), attempted treason (Article 30, Part 3, in conjunction with Article 275), and attempted unlawful border crossing by a group of persons in collusion (Article 30, Part 3, in conjunction with Article 322, Part 3).
The brothers acknowledged the factual circumstances presented in the criminal case but refused to plead guilty. During the trial, they continued to criticise Russia’s war against Ukraine.
On 3 July 2024, a military court sentenced Ioann Ashcheulov to 17 years and 6 months’ imprisonment, and Aleksei and Timofei each to 17 years. The first three years of each sentence are to be served in a cell-type prison, with the remainder in a strict regime penal colony.
Why do we consider the Ashcheulov brothers political prisoners?
There is no criminal offence in the brothers’ intention to join the Free Russia Legion.
The designation of the Free Russia Legion as a terrorist organisation is both unlawful and unfounded. The Free Russia Legion is a unit of the Ukrainian armed forces, and its activities constitute not terrorism but the legitimate defence of Ukraine from armed aggression.
The prosecution of the Ashcheulov brothers for attempted treason is also unlawful. Under international law, the only prohibited form of foreign participation in an armed conflict is mercenarism. The Ashcheulovs’ participation in the Free Russia Legion does not fall under that definition.
Furthermore, the Ashcheulov brothers were simultaneously charged with attempted participation in a terrorist organisation and with attempted treason, which is logically inconsistent. If their actions were considered to constitute joining the enemy’s side in an armed conflict, this means the Free Russia Legion was recognised as a part of the Ukrainian armed forces, not as a terrorist organisation.
Finally, the maximum sentence for attempted unlawful border crossing is 18 months. Regardless of the merits of the charge, therefore, the sentences imposed on the Ashcheulov brothers were grossly disproportionate to any public danger posed by their actions.
A detailed description of the Ashcheulov brothers’ 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 Ioann, Aleksei and Timofei Ashcheulov at the following addresses:
RU:
663180, Красноярский край, Енисейск, ул. Декабристов, д. 11, ФКУ Т-2 ГУФСИН России по Красноярскому краю, Ащеулову Иоанну Игоревичу 2000 г. р.
433503, Ульяновская область, Димитровград, ул. Калугина, д. 66, ФКУ Т УФСИН России по Ульяновской области, Ащеулову Алексею Игоревичу 2003 г. р.
600020, Владимир, ул. Большая Нижегородская, д. 67, ФКУ Т-2 УФСИН России по Владимирской области, Ащеулову Тимофею Игоревичу 2005 г. р.
EN:
Ioann Igorevich Ashcheulov (born 2000), Prison ‘T-2’, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Krasnoyarsk Krai, 11 Dekabristov Street, Yeniseisk, Krasnoyarsk Krai, 663180, Russia.
Aleksei Igorevich Ashcheulov (born 2003), Prison ‘T’, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Ulyanovsk Oblast, 66 Kalugina Street, Dimitrovgrad, Ulyanovsk Oblast, 433503, Russia.
Timofei Igorevich Ashcheulov (born 2005), Prison ‘T-2’, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Vladimir Oblast, 67 Bolshaya Nizhegorodskaya Street, Vladimir, 600020, Russia.
You can also send email using the F-Pismo and ZT services (for payment with Russian bank cards) or PrisonMail (for payment with other 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.
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