Dmitry Prozorov is a political prisoner
A former security services officer has been sentenced in Kirov to five years in a penal colony for two comments on a local online forum
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Dmitry Prozorov a political prisoner. Prozorov was convicted on a charge of spreading ‘fake news’ about the Russian armed forces, motivated by enmity and hatred, for two anti-war comments posted online. Prozorov’s criminal prosecution and conviction violated his rights to freedom of expression and fair trial. We demand his immediate release and that all criminal charges against him be dropped.
What were the charges against Dmitry Prozorov?
Dmitry Prozorov is a resident of Kirov and a former employee of the security services.
In 2024, he was prosecuted on a criminal charge of spreading information known to be false about the use of the Russian armed forces (Article 207.3, Part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code). The case was brought against him for two short comments he posted in 2022 in the local online group Typical Kirov. One of the comments, as far as is known, was about Russian war crimes in the town of Bucha in Ukraine; the other was most likely about Mariupol. Pending trial, a travel ban was imposed on him.
According to the prosecution, in his comments, Prozorov ‘spread information known to be false in the form of statements about the use of the Russian armed forces to destroy cities, civilian infrastructure and the civilian population on the territory of Ukraine during the special military operation.’
The judgment stated that Prozorov had made negative comments about the Russian president and had studied ‘pro-Ukrainian online forums.’ On this basis, the court ruled that he had made the comments ‘motivated by political and ideological hostility and hatred.’
On 26 February 2025, Prozorov was sentenced to five years in a general regime penal colony. After sentencing, he was taken into custody.
Prozorov suffers from many health conditions and requires medical treatment. In his appeal against the sentence, he stated that he had been ‘taken into custody shortly before he was to undergo a fifth surgical operation deemed necessary by surgeons and that could not be carried out in the conditions of a remand prison, which could result in a fatal outcome.’
Why do we consider Dmitry Prozorov a political prisoner?
The charge of spreading information known to be false about the actions of the Russian military, used to prosecute Prozorov, was introduced into the Russian Criminal Code immediately after the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. In practice, this law prohibits the dissemination of any information about the war that differs from the official narrative, in violation of the civil right to freedom of expression.
The article also contradicts both the Russian Constitution and Russia’s international obligations, as well as fundamental principles of law, in particular the principle of legal certainty. A citizen cannot know in advance what information the authorities might consider false. Still less is it possible to establish either intent or prior knowledge of falsehood with regard to the dissemination of false information. All charges under this article are unlawful.
The charge brought against Prozorov is absurd. The facts of war crimes committed by the Russian military, including indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, are widely known and confirmed by a great deal of evidence, including video footage and eyewitness accounts. The events in Bucha, in particular, have been thoroughly investigated by independent commissions.
A detailed description of Dmitry Prozorov’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 Dmitry Prozorov at the following address:
RU: 613040, Кировская область, г. Кирово-Чепецк, ул. Овражная, д. 16, ФКУ ИК-5 УФСИН России по Кировской области, Прозорову Дмитрию Владимировичу 1971 г. р.
EN: Dmitry Vladimirovich Prozorov (born 1971), Penal Colony No. 5, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Kirov Oblast, 16 Ovrazhnaya Street, Kirovo-Chepetsk, Kirov Oblast, 613040, Russia.
You can also send an email using ZT (for payment with all 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 intended recipient.You can donate to help all political prisoners in Russia.
