Andrei Petrauskas is a political prisoner

A crane operator from Krasnoyarsk was sentenced to 10 years’ on a charge of committing an act of terrorism for attempting to set fire to a military recruitment centre.

The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Andrei Petrauskas a political prisoner. He has been convicted of a terrorist offence for attempting to set fire to a military recruitment centre, an event in which no one was injured. Petrauskas’s prosecution and conviction violated his right to fair trial. We demand that his conviction be quashed, the charges of terrorism against him be dropped, and that his case be given a fair hearing in a retrial.

What were the charges against Andrei Petrauskas?

On the night of 3 October 2022 in Krasnoyarsk, 23-year-old Andrei Petrauskas threw two Molotov cocktails into the building of the local military recruitment office. The Molotov cocktails struck the outer frame of a window, and the fire which followed caused no significant damage and was immediately extinguished by police officers on duty.

Petrauskas fled, but on 7 October he was detained, having been identified on CCTV footage. Initially, the FSB charged him with attempting an act of terrorism (Article 205, Part 1, in conjunction with Article 30, Part 3, of the Russian Criminal Code). Petrauskas stated during interrogation that he had only wanted to do a ‘good deed’ for society. Subsequently, the investigators decided to consider the arson as a completed crime, thereby making the charges more severe and Petrauskas’s act was classified as an act of terrorism act (Article 205, Part 1).

The damage to the military recruitment centre was estimated at 28,000 roubles, a sum Petrauskas reimbursed while the investigation was still in progress.

Petrauskas pleaded guilty and refused to testify in court. On 15 May 2023, a military court sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment, of which he must spend the first two and a half years in a cell-type prison and the rest in a strict-regime penal colony. He did not appeal the sentence.

Why do we consider Petrauskas a political prisoner?

In our view, the classification of Petrauskas’s attempted arson of the military recruitment centre as an act of terrorism is incorrect. A necessary element of a terrorist act by definition is the motive of intimidation of the public, which is not present in Petrauskas’s actions. His actions do not go beyond the much less serious offence of wilful destruction or damage to property.

In reality, Andrei Petrauskas’s act was in protest against Russia’s war on Ukraine and motivated by the desire to stop mobilisation and impede the work of the military recruitment office. He himself stated this in his testimony during the preliminary investigation.

Given the severe repression against those in Russia who oppose the war, Petrauskas’s attempt to set fire to the military recruitment centre was essentially demonstrative in nature. It is important to note that the severity of Petrauskas’s punishment is disproportionate to the public danger of his act and is related to his opposition to the war.

A detailed description of Andrei Petrauskas’s case and of our position is 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 Andrei Petrauskas at the following address:

In Russian: 662606, Красноярский край, г. Минусинск, ул. Горького, д. 114, ФКУ Т ГУФСИН России по Красноярскому краю, Петраускасу Андрею Вадимовичу 1998 г. р.

In English: Andrei Vadimovich Petrauskas (born 1998), Prison of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Krasnoyarsk Krai, 114 Gorky Street, Minusinsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai, 6622606, Russia.

You can send an email via F-Pismo or ZT (for Russian bank cards), or via PrisonMail (for other bank cards).

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

Andrei Petrauskas is supported by the project Solidarity Zone.

You can donate to support all political prisoners in Russia.