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‘There is no evidence in the case that Pavlov’s actions caused or could have caused actual harm to Russia’s security’ – Memorial

Vasily Pavlov, a postgraduate journalism student at Belgorod University, was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment on charges of ‘participating in a terrorist organisation’ and treason. He was detained on 8 December 2023 when, according to the prosecution, he was distributing leaflets from the Free Russia Legion into post boxes. The same day, Pavlov’s home was searched and his equipment and recordings were seized.

According to Memorial, formally Pavlov was jailed on an administrative-law charge until 21 December 2025. However, Memorial point out that, according to Pavlov’s own account, that entire time he spent at the FSB where he was subjected to violence. He was then charged with participating in a terrorist organisation (Article 205.5, Part 2, of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Signs of beatings were visible at the hearing on pre-trial conditions on 22 December.

Pavlov was later also charged with treason (Article 275 CC RF). The investigative authorities claimed Pavlov not only communicated with a representative of the Legion on Telegram and printed leaflets at his request, but also passed on information about a military unit to his interlocutor. Pavlov himself maintained he had engaged in the correspondence out of journalistic interest, and that the information he had passed on was already in the public domain.

The court handed down its verdict in the case after just two hearings. Pavlov was not even brought to the courtroom but participated via video link. On 10 December 2024, Vasily Pavlov was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment, the first three of which are to be served in prison, with the remainder in a strict-regime penal colony.

Memorial has recognised Vasily Pavlov as a political prisoner on the grounds that his prosecution and conviction were politically motivated and incompatible with the right to a fair trial and has called for his immediate release.

‘The 12-day jail term under administrative law was effectively a means of isolating Pavlov and depriving him of legal representation, which left him vulnerable to pressure from the security forces. His claims of torture and documented injuries cast doubt on any testimony obtained during this period. The terrorism charge against Pavlov stems from correspondence and leaflets produced by the Free Russia Legion. We consider the decision by which the Russian court declared this Ukrainian unit a terrorist organisation unlawful and unfounded. The Free Russia Legion is part of the armed forces of Ukraine. Cooperation with it does not constitute terrorist activity. Furthermore, there is no evidence of Pavlov’s actual involvement in the Legion. The charge of treason relates to the forwarding of publicly available information. Such actions cannot be considered espionage or “aiding a foreign organisation” – there is no evidence in the case that Pavlov’s actions caused or could have caused actual harm to Russia’s security. A broad interpretation of this article has long been used for political persecution. There are also signs of provocation by the security services in the case. The identity of ‘Miron S.’, with whom the correspondence took place, has not been established, and the arrest occurred immediately after actions carried out on his instructions.’

– Memorial, 1 December 2025

Write to Vasily Pavlov

The Russian penal system does not allow any messages to prisoners that are written in foreign languages, but Write to Russia is here to help you. To show your support for Vasily Pavlov, please send your letter as an email to us at: le******************@********il.com. We’ll translate your letter into Russian and, depending on your request, either mail the translated letters on your behalf to Vasily Pavlov, or return the letters to you by email for posting in an envelope with addresses written in Russian. If we send the letter on your behalf, we ask that you compensate us for the cost of postage from the UK (currently £3.40 [$4.52; €3.90] for one letter). For suggestions on what to write to a political prisoner, click here. To learn more about our letter writing project, click here: Write to Russia.

You can write to Vasily Pavlov at the following address:

Russian Federation – 308017, г. Белгород, ул. К. Заслонова, д. 169а, ФКУ СИЗО-3 УФСИН России по Белгородской области, Павлов Василий Михайлович, 1994 г. р.

Text by James Lofthouse

The persons unjustly imprisoned in Russia whose plight our project Write to Russia has highlighted to date can be found at this link:

Write to Russia – List of Prisoners

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