Tatiana Arshinova is a political prisoner
A civic activist from Nizhny Novgorod faces up to 25 years in prison for posts about Aleksei Navalny and anti-war slogans
Tatiana Arshinova is a well-known civic activist from Nizhny Novgorod. She took part in peaceful protests, pickets, and rallies, including events in support of Aleksei Navalny and against the war in Ukraine.
Arshinova was detained in July 2025 and, following a search of her home, was placed in pre-trial detention. She was charged over social media posts supporting Navalny that she had published between February 2023 and February 2025. Investigators interpreted these posts as participation in the activities of an extremist organisation (Article 282.2, Part 2 of the Russian Criminal Code).
In the autumn of 2025, a new charge was added: participation in a terrorist organisation (Article 205.5, Part 2 of the Russian Criminal Code). According to the investigation, Arshinova allegedly established contact with a representative of the Freedom of Russia Legion and, acting on his instructions, painted the organisation’s slogans and symbols around the city and cut up a ‘Special Military Operation’ flag at a cemetery using scissors. Investigators regard the slogan ‘Freedom for Russia’ as a terrorist slogan and the white-blue-white flag as terrorist symbolism.
Arshinova herself says that she published posts about Navalny and wrote anti-war slogans, but was expressing her personal views rather than participating in any organisation. She acknowledged corresponding with an unknown person via a messenger app but stated that she was unaware of any connection between that individual and any political or military structure.
Arshinova had previously been repeatedly subjected to administrative penalties for taking part in peaceful protests. In June 2025, shortly before her arrest on criminal charges, the European Court of Human Rights found that her rights had been violated.
We believe that the actions attributed to Arshinova do not demonstrate membership in any organisation. Her social media posts and slogans reflect her personal views and do not indicate involvement in extremist or terrorist organisations, particularly given that the Russian courts’ decisions to designate Navalny’s organisations and the Freedom of Russia Legion as such are unfounded. Tatyana Arshinova’s prosecution is linked to her peaceful civic activism and anti-war views, and her actions pose no danger to society.
A detailed description of Tatiana Arshinova’s case and of our position is available on our website.
How can you help?
You can write to Tatiana Arshinova at the following address:
Ru:
603098, Нижний Новгород, пр-т Гагарина, д. 26А, ФКУ СИЗО-1 ГУФСИН России по Нижегородской области, Аршинова Татьяна Павловна, 1984 г. р.
En:
Remand Prison No. 1, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, 26A Prospekt Gagarina, Nizhny Novgorod, 603098, Russia, Arshinova Tatiana Pavlovna, born 1984.
You can also send emails via the ZT service (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.
