Organisers of an ‘anti-Covid’ protest in North Ossetia are political prisoners
Vadim Cheldiev and Arsen Besolov have been sentenced to 10 and 8 years in a strict regime penal colony respectively
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, has recognised Vadim Cheldiev and Arsen Besolov as political prisoners. We consider the criminal prosecution of the activists for organising riots has been fabricated in order to undermine any attempts to create independent civil society associations. At the same time, the charges against Cheldiev for spreading information known to be false and for inciting extremist activity are aimed at suppressing the Russian authorities’ most prominent critics.
We demand the immediate release of Vadim Cheldiev and Arsen Besolov and that all criminal charges against them be dropped.
Who are Cheldiev and Besolov and what are the charges against them?
Vadim Cheldiev is an opera singer from North Ossetia (a region in Russia’s Caucasus) and a soloist at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, widely known in his native region for his charitable work and frequent criticism of the authorities.
In March 2020, the authorities in North Ossetia, as in other regions of Russia, introduced a number of restrictions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. A ban on working and leaving their homes hit the people of North Ossetia particularly hard, as residents of one of the poorest regions in Russia. At the same time, the compensation offered by the authorities clearly did not correspond to the economic realities of life.
In April 2020, Vadim Cheldiev began to speak out on his social media accounts, calling for protests against the quarantine measures. On 20 April, Cheldiev scheduled a ‘people’s gathering’ in Vladikavkaz, the capital of North Ossetia.
Thousands of North Ossetians took part in discussing their economic and political demands and preparing for the protest. Arsen Besolov, a Moscow bank employee, became one of the administrators of a Telegram chat room where they planned the protest.
On 15 April 2020, a criminal case was opened against Cheldiev in North Ossetia for public dissemination of information known to be false about circumstances that pose a threat to the life and safety of citizens (Article 207.1 of the Russian Criminal Code). On 17 April he was detained in St. Petersburg. According to the Investigative Committee, while he was being taken to Vladikavkaz the singer struck the police officer accompanying him twice in the face. As a result, a criminal case was also initiated against Cheldiev for using violence against a representative of authority (Article 318, Part 1, of the Russian Criminal Code). Furthermore, Cheldiev was charged with inciting extremism (Article 280, Part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code) for videos urging people to take part in the planned protest.
Nevertheless, the protest in Vladikavkaz still took place on 20 April 2020. Initially, more than 3,000 people protested peacefully in front of the regional government offices, but after the authorities tried to force the protesters off the square, stones were thrown at law enforcement officers. Subsequently, protesters who had resisted law enforcement officers were traced via surveillance cameras and convicted.
After the protest, criminal investigations were initially opened for using violence against police officers and hooliganism. However, later on, charges related to riots were also brought. Vadim Cheldiev and Arsen Besolov who did not participate in the 20 April protest in Vladikavkaz, were charged with organising riots (Article 212, Part 1, of the Russian Criminal Code).
On 19 July 2022, the Rostov Oblast Court sentenced Cheldiev to 10 years and Besolov to 8 years in strict regime penal colonies.
Why do we consider them political prisoners?
The prosecutions of the organisers of the protest in Vladikavkaz were accompanied by gross procedural violations from the very beginning. Cheldiev was unlawfully detained in St. Petersburg for an alleged offence for which a suspect cannot be remanded in custody. Moreover, the investigation failed to prove the singer deliberately disseminated information known to be false. At the same time, the alleged attack on a police officer during Cheldiev’s transportation to North Ossetia was apparently staged in order to isolate Cheldiev before the protest.
In our view, Cheldiev and Besolov have not been proven guilty of the offence of organising riots. The investigation failed to show the existence of collusion and contacts between members of the alleged ‘criminal group’. None of the forensic examinations carried out by the investigation were able to identify incitement of violence, riots or use of weapons in the texts, audio files and video files of the participants in the Telegram chat room. In fact, there is no evidence, or proof, in the materials of the case of intent or of concerted actions on the part of Cheldiev and Besolov aimed at organising riots.
Finally, we consider there is no evidence to convict Cheldiev of inciting extremist activity. Analysis of the case materials and Cheldiev’s statements shows he did not call for violent actions, but on the contrary, maintained the need for protest to be peaceful.
You can read more about these criminal prosecutions and the position of the Human Rights Project on our website.
Recognition of an individual as a political prisoner does not imply the ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ project agrees with, or approves of, their views, statements, or actions.
How can you help?
You can write letters to them at the following addresses:
For Vadim Cheldiev:
In English: Vadim Kazbekovich Cheldiev (born 1981), Penal Colony No. 1, Russian Federal Penitentiary Service for Penza region, 1 Avtomatny Pereulok, Penza, 440061, Russia.
In Russian: 440061, г. Пенза, Автоматный переулок, 1, ФКУ ИК-1 УФСИН России по Пензенской области, Чельдиеву Вадиму Казбековичу, 1981 г.р.
You can also send an electronic letter via Zonatelekom.
For Arsen Besolov:
In English: Arsen Tamerlanovich Besolov (born 1991), Penal Colony No. 26, 34 Dovzhenko Street, Volgograd, Volgograd region, 400080, Russia.
In Russian: 400080, Волгоградская область, Волгоград, ул. Довженко, 34, ИК-26. Бесолов Арсен Тамерланович, 1991 г. р.
You can also send an electronic letter via Zonatelekom.
Here you can donate to support all political prisoners in Russia.
