Daniil Klyuka is a political prisoner
An art teacher from Lipetsk has been sentenced to 20 years in a strict-regime penal colony for transferring money to his cousin in Ukraine
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Daniil Klyuka a political prisoner. Klyuka has been convicted on charges of financing terrorism and of treason for money transfers he allegedly made to a Ukrainian fund. The criminal case against Klyuka violates his right to a fair trial. We demand the immediate release of Daniil Klyuka, that his conviction be quashed and all criminal charges against him be dropped.
What were the charges against Daniil Klyuka?
Daniil Klyuka worked as an art teacher at a school in Lipetsk. Like many other teachers, he was obliged to subscribe to a local, pro-government newspaper. According to Klyuka, ‘either as a prank or driven by emotions,’ he drew caricatures on the newspapers delivered to the school, sometimes forgetting to take them home. When his colleagues discovered the drawings and reported them to the school management, Klyuka was accused of ‘Nazism’ and dismissed from his job. The school then handed the drawings over to the FSB, alleging that Klyuka was interested in explosives.
When law enforcement officers detained Klyuka on 10 February 2023, they found on his phone correspondence with his cousin in Kharkiv in Ukraine that included criticism of the war. They also discovered two cryptocurrency transfers totalling 120,000 roubles, which Klyuka was accused of sending to Return Alive, a Ukrainian fund established to support the Ukrainian military. He was remanded in custody on charges of financing terrorism (Article 205.1, Part 1.1, of the Russian Criminal Code) and treason for providing financial assistance to a foreign state (Article 275).
During the investigative and court proceedings, Klyuka admitted his guilt. However, in a letter from custody, Klyuka claimed he had been held in a basement and coerced into confessing.
On 19 June 2024, a military court sentenced Daniil Klyuka to 20 years in a strict-regime penal colony, the first five years of which he is to spend in a cell-type prison.
Why do we consider Klyuka a political prisoner?
Klyuka maintains that the money transfers were intended for his cousin in Kharkiv to cover charitable and personal needs. His cousin has confirmed to us that he spent the funds on an operation for his father. Furthermore, his cousin maintains that, in the correspondence that drew the FSB’s attention, Daniil Klyuka did not express any radical views. Klyuka’s cousin stated: ‘He was most concerned that people shouldn’t suffer.’ In other words, the only evidence that Klyuka transferred money to the Return Alive fund was his own testimony that was obtained under torture.
However, even if the version of the investigative authorities were correct, Klyuka’s actions would not constitute a crime. The Return Alive fund is involved in supporting Ukraine’s defensive military operations, aimed at resisting Russia’s war of aggression. Under international law, Russia’s military actions against Ukraine are illegal and criminal. Ukraine’s actions in self-defence, on the other hand, are lawful and justified, cannot be considered terrorism and pose no threat to Russia’s security. Therefore, the charges against Klyuka of financing terrorism and treason are unfounded.
Klyuka himself has stated that his prosecution stemmed from his anti-war drawings and a report made against him to the FSB. This underscores the political nature of his case: its real aim was to punish someone with oppositionist views by fabricating a criminal case against him.
A detailed description of Daniil Klyuka’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 find Daniil Klyuka’s support groups on Telegram and Facebook.
You can write a letter to Daniil Klyuka at the following address:
In Russian: 600020, г. Владимир, ул. Большая Нижегородская, д. 67, ФКУ Т-2 УФСИН России по Владимирской области, Клюке Даниилу Владимировичу, 1996 г. р.
In English: Daniil Vladimirovich Klyuka (born 1996), Prison No. 2, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Vladimir Oblast, 67 Bolshaya Nizhegorodskaya Street, Vladimir, 600020, Russia.
You can also send an email via ZT services (for payment with Russian bank cards), OVD-Info and Memorial-France (free of charge).
Please note that letters in languages other than Russian are highly unlikely to reach the recipient.
You can donate to help all political prisoners in Russia.
