{"id":63076,"date":"2026-07-28T11:01:39","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T08:01:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/memopzk.org\/news\/dmitrij-sorokin-politzaklyuchyonnyj\/"},"modified":"2026-07-28T23:25:43","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T20:25:43","slug":"dmitry-sorokin-is-a-political-prisoner","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/memopzk.org\/en\/news\/dmitry-sorokin-is-a-political-prisoner\/","title":{"rendered":"Dmitry Sorokin is a political prisoner"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A St. Petersburg mover was sentenced to eight years in prison over posts on a blocked VK page<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dmitry<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dmitry Sorokin, originally from Murmansk Oblast, worked in the catering industry before taking a job as a mover for a removals company. He was placed in pre-trial detention in April 2024 over posts about the war against Ukraine that he had published in 2022\u20132023. In total, prosecutors cited 11 posts on his VK page, claiming they contained calls for extremism, ‘false information’ about the Russian army, and justification of terrorism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sorokin pleaded not guilty. He explained that he had copied texts that interested him so he could read them later, and that by the time of the investigation his VK page had already been blocked in Russia and was inaccessible to users there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, FSB officers accessed the page using a VPN service and also documented views and reactions from other users. On 17 October 2024, the court sentenced Sorokin to eight years in a general-regime penal colony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We believe that Dmitry Sorokin’s prosecution is unlawful. Article 207.3 of the Russian Criminal Code, which criminalises so-called ‘false information’ about the army, is itself illegitimate, and all prosecutions under it should be discontinued. The charge of public calls for extremist activity (Article 280, Part 2) was based on Sorokin’s publication of a guide for military deserters. In our view, refusing to participate in a criminal war is not extremism, and encouraging such refusal does not constitute a criminal offence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The publications classified as public justification of terrorism (Article 205.2, Part 2) concerned Ukrainian military formations: Azov, the Russian Volunteer Corps, and the Freedom of Russia Legion. We do not know exactly what Sorokin wrote, but in any event, expressing approval of these formations does not amount to justification of terrorism. All of them have been designated as terrorist organisations in Russia unlawfully and for propaganda purposes. In reality, they are units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces carrying out legitimate tasks in defence against Russian aggression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the prosecutor noted in court, Sorokin’s posts had a “pro-Ukrainian character.” It is clear that this was the real reason for his prosecution and severe sentence. Even if some of his comments could formally be regarded as posing a public danger, eight years’ imprisonment for posts on a blocked social media page is manifestly disproportionate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A detailed description of Dmitry Sorokin\u2019s case and of our position is available on\u00a0our\u00a0website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can you help?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can write to Dmitry Sorokin at the following address:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ru:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

196641, \u0433. \u0421\u0430\u043d\u043a\u0442-\u041f\u0435\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0431\u0443\u0440\u0433, \u043f. \u041c\u0435\u0442\u0430\u043b\u043b\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0439, \u0421\u0435\u0432\u0435\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u043f\u0440-\u0434 1-\u0439, \u0434. 1, \u0424\u041a\u0423 \u0418\u041a-5 \u0413\u0423\u0424\u0421\u0418\u041d \u0420\u043e\u0441\u0441\u0438\u0438 \u043f\u043e \u0433. \u0421\u0430\u043d\u043a\u0442-\u041f\u0435\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0431\u0443\u0440\u0433\u0443 \u0438 \u041b\u0435\u043d\u0438\u043d\u0433\u0440\u0430\u0434\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u043e\u0431\u043b\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0438, \u0421\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043a\u0438\u043d \u0414\u043c\u0438\u0442\u0440\u0438\u0439 \u0412\u0430\u043b\u0435\u0440\u044c\u0435\u0432\u0438\u0447, 1968 \u0433. \u0440.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

En:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sorokin Dmitry Valeryevich (born 1968), Penal Colony No. 5, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast, 1st Severny Proyezd, Building 1, Metallostroy settlement, St. Petersburg, 196641, Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also send emails via ZT<\/a> (for payment with all bank cards) and Memorial-France<\/a> (free of charge).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please note that letters in languages other than Russian are highly unlikely to reach the intended recipient.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can donate<\/a> to help all political prisoners in Russia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-63076","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry","regions-saint-petersburg","news-type-press-releases"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDmitry Sorokin is a political prisoner - Political prisoners support. Memorial<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A St. Petersburg mover was sentenced to eight years in prison over posts on a blocked VK page\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/memopzk.org\/en\/news\/dmitry-sorokin-is-a-political-prisoner\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Dmitry Sorokin is a political prisoner - Political prisoners support. 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