Ramil Damirov and Kallibek Eseniyazov are political prisoners
A native of Azerbaijan and a citizen of Uzbekistan have been sentenced to terms of nine and seven years in a strict regime penal colony for attempting to join the Free Russia Legion
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Ramil Damirov and Kallibek Eseniyazov political prisoners. Damirov and Eseniyazov were convicted on charges of ‘participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation’ for attempting to join the Free Russia Legion. Their criminal prosecutions and convictions violated their rights to a fair trial. We demand that the convictions of Ramil Damirov and Kallibek Eseniyazov be quashed.
What were the charges against Damirov and Eseniyazov?
Ramil Damirov was born in Azerbaijan but lived in Oryol, where he owned a law firm and worked as a lawyer. In July 2023, he was twice jailed consecutively on fabricated administrative-law charges of petty hooliganism and disobeying the lawful orders of police officers.
On 20 July 2023, Damirov, who had already served these two jail terms and was preparing to appeal them in court, was arrested outside the courthouse on criminal charges. He was charged with ‘preparing to participate in a terrorist organisation’ (Article 30, Part 1, of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation in conjunction with Article 205.5, Part 2, CC RF). According to the investigative authorities, Damirov had contacted Ukrainian organisations and was preparing to renounce his Russian citizenship and sell his property in preparation for leaving to join the Free Russia Legion. The evidence consisted of Damirov’s personal correspondence and the testimony of his acquaintances.
On 24 June 2024, Damirov was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment (four years in a cell-type prison, with the remainder to be served in a strict regime penal colony) and a fine of 400,000 roubles.
Kallibek Eseniyazov, from Uzbekistan, lived in Moscow and worked as a courier. He was detained in July 2024. The investigative authorities claimed Eseniyazov had attempted to enter Ukraine several times to join the Free Russia Legion. In 2023, Eseniyazov had sought to enter Ukraine via Moldova; in early 2024, he sought assistance from the Ukrainian embassies in Istanbul and Tashkent; in July 2024, he arrived in Kaliningrad, from where he had wanted to cross the border with Poland illegally but was detained. Esenyazov was charged with ‘attempting to join a terrorist organisation’ (Article 30, Part 3, CC RF in conjunction with Article 205.5, Part 2, CC RF).
On 2 July 2025, Eseniyazov was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment (with the first three years to be served in a cell-type prison, with the remainder in a strict regime penal colony).
Why do we consider Ramil Damirov and Kallibek Eseniyazov political prisoners?
The charges against Ramil Damirov and Kallibek Esenyazov were based on the unfounded and unlawful designation of the Free Russia Legion as a terrorist organisation. You can read more about our opinion of this designation here.
The series of jail terms for alleged administrative-law offences to which Damirov was subjected before his arrest on criminal charges also indicates the political nature of his prosecution. The security forces often use this practice to intimidate detainees, extract confessions, and covertly examine seized phones.
Detailed descriptions of the cases of Ramil Damirov and Kallibek Eseniyazov and of our position are available on our website.
How can you help?
You can write to Ramil Damirov and Kallibek Eseniyazov at the following addresses:
RU:
Российская Федерация, 600020, Владимир, ул. Большая Нижегородская, д. 67, ФКУ Т-2 УФСИН России по Владимирской области, Дамиров Рамиль Азиз оглы 1984 г.р.
EN:
Ramil Aziz ogly Damirov (born 1984), Prison No. 2, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Vladimir Oblast, 67 Bolshaya Nizhegorodskaya Street, Vladimir, 600020, Russia.
RU:
Российская Федерация, 600020, Владимир, ул. Большая Нижегородская, д. 67, ФКУ Т-2 УФСИН России по Владимирской области, Есениязов Каллибек Казахбаевич, 1990 г. р.
EN:
Kallibek Kazakhbaevich Eseniyazov (born 1990), Prison No. 2, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Vladimir Oblast, 67 Bolshaya Nizhegorodskaya Street, Vladimir, 600020, Russia.
You can also send emails via ZT (for payment with all bank cards) 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.
