{"id":62092,"date":"2025-10-28T15:37:48","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T12:37:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/memopzk.org\/news\/my-schitaem-politzaklyuchyonnym-andreya-voronina\/"},"modified":"2026-07-12T16:15:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T13:15:10","slug":"andrei-voronin-is-a-political-prisoner","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/memopzk.org\/en\/news\/andrei-voronin-is-a-political-prisoner\/","title":{"rendered":"Andrei Voronin is a political prisoner"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An activist from Samara has been sentenced to more than 15 years\u2019 imprisonment on three convictions and seven charges<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u2018Political Prisoners. Memorial\u2019 human rights project, in accordance with<\/strong> international standards<\/strong><\/a>, considers Andrei Voronin a political prisoner. Voronin was convicted on charges of threatening to commit a terrorist act, insulting and threatening to use violence against public officials, using violence against a prison officer, illegally storing explosives, spreading \u2018fake news\u2019 about the army, and publicly calling for people to engage in terrorism.<\/strong> The criminal charges against Voronin violated his rights to freedom of expression and a fair trial. We demand the immediate release of Andrei Voronin and that all criminal charges against him be dropped.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Andrei Voronin and what were the charges against him?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrei Voronin, from Togliatti in Samara Oblast, is an Orthodox activist and monarchist. He actively blogged on the VK social media site, criticising government officials and the Russian authorities on various occasions. In March 2020, he lit bonfires on his property, which prompted a visit from the head of the rural district council and an official from the Ministry of Emergency Situations. As a result of the conflict that arose between Voronin and the two officials, he was charged with threatening to use violence against a public official (Article 318, Part 1, of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) and insulting a public official (Article 319 CC RF).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After this incident, Voronin posted a text on VK, which forensic experts interpreted as a threat to \u2018carry out an explosion at military or government facilities\u2019 (Article 205, Part 1, CC RF). On 4 April 2020, during a search of the activist’s home, a 0.5 kg bag of gunpowder was found, for which he was charged with illegal possession of explosives (Article 222.1, Part 1, CC RF). Voronin was detained and taken into custody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 15 April 2021, a military court found Voronin guilty on all counts and sentenced him to 12 years in a strict regime penal colony and a fine of 50,000 roubles. The court of cassation excluded the charge of insulting a public official and reduced the sentence by two months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the penal colony, Voronin was placed in a punishment cell, where he went on hunger strike to protest about not being given medical care. When a prison officer demanded Voronin leave his cell for a search, Voronin grabbed the officer by his jacket and pinned him against a wall. Voronin was then charged with using violence against a prison officer (Article 321, Part 2, CC RF). On 30 July 2024, Voronin was sentenced to two years and six months’ imprisonment on this charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The third criminal case against Voronin was initiated on the grounds that, in conversations with cellmates in the remand prison and penal colony, Voronin had spoken out against the war in Ukraine and \u2018called\u2019 for Putin to be killed. These conversations were recorded by a hidden video camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Voronin was charged with \u2018spreading \u201cfake news\u201d about the Russian army motivated by political hatred\u2019 (Article 207.3, Part 2 [e], CC RF) and \u2018making public calls to engage in terrorist activity\u2019 (Article 205.2, Part 1, CC RF). One of the witnesses stated in court he had testified against Voronin at the urging of penal colony officials. On 17 July 2025, a military court sentenced Voronin to an additional six years in prison. As a result of the various sentences, in addition to the time Andrei Voronin has already served, he will serve another 10 years\u2019 imprisonment, the first three of which he will serve in a cell-type prison, and the remainder in a strict regime penal colony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do we consider Andrei Voronin a political prisoner?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were no grounds to charge Voronin with threatening an act of terrorism. It is not known which post specifically formed the basis for this charge, but an examination of Voronin’s VK page shows nothing that could be construed as a threat to commit a terrorist attack. Such a threat must be real and intended to influence the decisions of the authorities. Voronin posted on his own behalf, and the authorities had every opportunity to verify that he had no real intention of committing a terrorist act. At most, Voronin’s actions could be considered \u2018intentionally making a false report about a terrorist act\u2019 (Article 207 CC RF), for which a fine or suspended sentence would be the normal punishment. We consider it absurd to equate emotional statements on social media with an actual threat to carry out a terrorist attack. The sentence imposed on Voronin was grossly disproportionate to the public danger of his actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Voronin denies he stored gunpowder at his home and claims it was planted during a search. This possibility cannot be ruled out. While there was no proof Voronin’s biological traces were found on the gunpowder, the prosecution nonetheless used the gunpowder as evidence of the reality of the threat of a terrorist attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Voronin has long since served his sentence for the alleged threat of violence against the head of the village council. Voronin admitted he used non-dangerous violence against an officer of the prison service, explaining his actions in terms of the severe emotional state resulting from his failure to receive medical assistance and the illegal actions of the penal colony administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The article criminalising \u2018dissemination of information known to be false about the Russian army,\u2019 on the basis of which Andrei Voronin was convicted, effectively prohibits the dissemination of any information about the war in Ukraine or the actions of the military in violation of the right to freedom of expression. This article contradicts the Russian Constitution, and therefore any charges brought under it are unlawful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statements about killing Putin, for which Voronin was charged, were not calls to engage in terrorism, but condemnation of the actions of the head of state of the Russian Federation who unleashed a criminal war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The addition of new terms of imprisonment to Voronin’s existing sentence is retribution by the repressive regime for his anti-war and oppositionist stance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A detailed description of Andrei Voronin\u2019s case and of our position is available on our website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can you help?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can donate<\/a> to help all political prisoners in Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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