Klyuka Daniil Vladimirovich

Full description

According to Daniil Klyuka himself, a criminal case was initiated against him following a report from his
colleagues at the school where he taught art. They accidentally discovered a local newspaper at his
workplace, which he had used for drawing what were deemed “subversive” sketches in his free time. In a
letter from a detention center, Klyuka described the situation as follows:

“One day, they found [the newspaper with my drawings], called me in for a conversation, and fired me. They accused me of being a Nazi and said my thoughts were ‘filthy.’ I heard absurd claims like, ‘Russia didn’t turn Grozny into ruins; Mariupol was destroyed by Zelensky’s forces.’ In short, complete denial of history and sheer madness.

I thought my punishment would end with my dismissal, but they also called the FSB, handed them the
newspapers, and told them I was interested in explosives. They followed me for a week and a half, then my former director called and said I needed to come to sort out some paperwork. As I was walking towards my old workplace, I only made it about 100 meters before I was thrown into the snow, had a bag placed over my head, and was taken to an unknown basement. I won’t go into details about what happened there.

A few days later, they found bank transfers in my phone that I had sent to my cousin in Luhansk. I honestly didn’t know what the money was used for. But the FSB insisted that I admit I was funding Azov, weapons, drones, and other military supplies. And that’s how I ended up in a detention center.”

The criminal case against Daniil Klyuka was officially opened on February 10, 2023, and he was arrested the same day. On February 11, 2023, a judge at the Sovetsky District Court in Lipetsk, Ekaterina Valeryevna Arshinova, along with prosecutor N.K. Abrosimova, ruled that Klyuka should be held in pre-trial detention.

The Charges and Conviction

Reports on Klyuka’s case indicate that he was accused of two transactions—100,000 rubles and 20,000
rubles—sent to the Ukrainian foundation “Come Back Alive.” This foundation, established in 2014 in
Ukraine, provides support to the Ukrainian army, including supplying the military with equipment,
ammunition, and training. However, the Russian Ministry of Justice only classified the foundation as an
“undesirable organization” on May 21, 2024, just a month before Klyuka’s conviction. According to the
prosecution, Klyuka allegedly intended to provide financial support to the Azov Regiment for the purchase of weapons.

The website of the 2nd Western Military District Court states that:
“During the court hearing, Klyuka fully admitted his guilt, expressed remorse for his actions, but refused to testify further, confirming the statements he had made during the preliminary investigation.”
Klyuka’s cousin, Mykyta Laptiev, confirmed that Daniil had sent him money via the cryptocurrency exchange Binance. According to M.L., he used the money for personal expenses, including his father’s kidney surgery.

M.L. explained:
“Initially, a report was filed against him at school for his caricatures, and that’s what started the case. But during the investigation, authorities found cryptocurrency transfers in his phone. The FSB then discovered our messages. Daniil’s messages contained nothing illegal—just his condemnation of the war, which he saw as a crime causing a humanitarian crisis and killing thousands of people. I was more outspoken in my messages, as I am originally from Luhansk and moved to Kharkiv after 2014. But Daniil never supported my more radical statements. On the contrary, he was for peace and against hatred in all forms. What mattered most to him was that people should not suffer.”
On June 19, 2024, Judge Igor Vladimirovich Nikitchuk of the 2nd Western Military District Court found Daniil Klyuka guilty under Article 205.1, Part 1.1 (“Financing Terrorism”) and Article 275 (“State Treason”) of the Russian Criminal Code. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with the first 5 years to be served in a high-security prison and the remaining 15 in a strict-regime penal colony. Additionally, he was fined 500,000 rubles and given one year of restricted freedom after his release.

On October 3, 2024, Judge Vladimir Ivanovich Serebryansky of the Military Appeals Court upheld the
sentence.

On March 13, 2024, Daniil Klyuka was added to Russia’s list of “extremists and terrorists” by
Rosfinmonitoring.

Grounds for Recognizing Klyuka as a Political Prisoner

The Circumstances of the Case and His Forced Confession

In his letter, Klyuka stated that the FSB pressured him to confess that he had sent money for military
purposes, but he maintains that he only sent money to his cousin, M.L., for charity. His cousin confirmed
this. The circumstances suggest that Klyuka’s arrest was primarily due to his anti-war drawings and not the financial transactions themselves. His drawings, which expressed dissent against the authorities and the ongoing “special military operation” in Ukraine, led to his initial dismissal and eventually his criminal case.

Despite initially denying guilt, Klyuka later confessed under pressure, likely to mitigate the consequences of his arrest. It is highly probable that his confession was extracted through coercion or torture, which is a common practice in politically motivated cases in Russia. Furthermore, the accusation that he financed
“Come Back Alive” appears to be based solely on his forced confession, as tracking the final destination of the funds is impossible.

The Closed-Door Trial and Lack of Transparency

Klyuka’s case was tried behind closed doors, which has become standard practice for cases involving treason and terrorism. However, Article 123 of the Russian Constitution states that court proceedings should be public except in specific cases outlined by federal law. Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights also guarantees the right to a fair and public trial.

There is no indication that Klyuka’s case involved state secrets, which would justify a closed hearing. The secrecy surrounding his trial suggests an attempt to suppress public scrutiny and shield potential procedural violations from exposure.

Conclusion Daniil Klyuka’s prosecution appears to be politically motivated. The charges against him were likely fabricated as a means of intimidation against dissenters. His case follows a disturbing trend of increased repression in Russia, where individuals are criminally prosecuted for expressing anti-war views or criticizing the government.

The independent human rights project “Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial”, which continues the
work of the Human Rights Center “Memorial,” recognizes Daniil Klyuka as a political prisoner. His
imprisonment violates his right to a fair trial and other fundamental rights guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

We demand Daniil Klyuka’s immediate release and the cessation of his criminal prosecution.

Recognition as a political prisoner does not imply that the project “Support for Political Prisoners.
Memorial” endorses or agrees with all of Daniil Klyuka’s views, statements, or actions.

Media Coverage

• February 16, 2023 – Novaya Gazeta Europe: “A Lipetsk Resident Sent to Detention for Financing
  Ukrainian Azov Regiment”
• February 16, 2023 – Kommersant: “A Lipetsk Resident Arrested for Financing the Ukrainian Azov
  Regiment”
• June 20, 2024 – DOXA: “Lipetsk Teacher Sentenced to 20 Years for Treason and Terrorism Support”
• June 20, 2024 – Kommersant: “Former Lipetsk Teacher Sentenced to 20 Years for Treason and
  Donations to Ukraine”
• June 20, 2024 – RBC: “Art Teacher Sentenced to 20 Years for Donating to the Ukrainian Military”