Svetlana Marina is a political prisoner

She was sentenced to one and a half years’ compulsory work for comments she made about the murdered pro-war propagandist Vladlen Tatarsky

The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Svetlana Marina a political prisoner. Marina has been deprived of liberty on a charge of ‘repeated “discrediting” of the Russian army’ for a video she posted on her Telegram channel. Marina’s prosecution violates her rights to freedom of expression and fair trial. We demand the release of Svetlana Marina and that all criminal charges against her be dropped.

Who is Svetlana Marina and what are the charges against her?

Svetlana Marina is a computer programmer and civic activist from Kirov in northwest Russia who has taken part in protests and helped political prisoners. After the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Marina openly criticised Russia’s war on social media.

In the spring and summer of 2023, Marina was twice convicted of the administrative-law offence of ‘discrediting’ the army (Article 20.3.3, Part 1, of the Russian Code of Administrative Offences). The second time was for an online comment she made about the news that a portrait of the pro-war propagandist Vladlen Tatarsky, who had been killed the day before, had been placed beside the WWII memorial in Kirov. Marina called Tatarsky a ‘bandit and murderer,’ for which she was fined 30,000 roubles. On appeal, the fine was reduced to 15,000 roubles.

Immediately after the appeal, on 29 August 2023, Marina published a video on the ‘Svobodny Kirov’ [Free Kirov] Telegram channel, in which she stated that she would not change her opinion about Tatarsky and considered him a ‘criminal and robber.’

After the activist’s home was searched on 8 November 2023, it became known that a criminal case had been opened against Marina for publishing this video on a charge of ‘repeated “discrediting” of the army’ (Article 280.3, Part 1, of the Russian Criminal Code).

On 1 March 2024, a court in Kirov sentenced Marina to one and a half years’ compulsory work. The court ruled that, during the sentence, Marina must live under supervision in a correctional centre. On 24 April, the sentence was upheld on appeal.

Why do we consider Marina a political prisoner?

The offence of ‘repeated “discrediting” of the army’ was introduced into the Russian Criminal Code to suppress dissent after the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine. In practice, this law prohibits any criticism of the war or of the Russian authorities, in violation of the right to freedom of expression and the principle of legal certainty. This law should be rescinded, all criminal convictions under it quashed and ongoing prosecutions dropped.

At the same time, there are no grounds for Marina’s prosecution for the offence of ‘repeated “discrediting” of the army’ regardless of the illegitimate nature of this law. In the video, Marina does not talk about the Russian army or about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. She only speaks about her attitude towards Vladlen Tatarsky, and consequently her words do not constitute an offence.

A detailed description of the case of Svetlana Marina and our position are available on our website.

Recognition of an individual as a political prisoner does not imply the ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project agrees with, or approves, their views, statements, or actions.

How can you help?

You can write to Svetlana Marina at the following address:

In Russian: 613040, Кировская область, г. Кирово-Чепецк, пр-д Западный, исправительный центр, ФКУ КП-21 УФСИН России по Кировской области, Мариной Светлане Анатольевне, 1967 г. р.

In English: Svetlana Anatolievna Marina (born 1967), Low-Security Penal Colony No. 21, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Kirov Oblast, Zapadny Proezd, Kirovo-Chepetsk, Kirov Oblast, 613040, Russia.

You can send an email via F-Pismo or Zonatelecom (Russian bank cards), PrisonMail (other bank cards), or OVD-Info (free of charge).

Please note that letters in languages other than Russian are highly unlikely to reach the recipient.

You can donate to support all political prisoners in Russia.