Maksim Asriyan is a political prisoner
A nurse from St. Petersburg has been sentenced to eight years in a strict-regime penal colony on charges of attempted terrorism and treason for wanting to set fire to a military recruitment centre
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Maksim Asriyan a political prisoner. Asriyan has been convicted on charges of attempting an act of terrorism and treason. Asriyan’s criminal prosecution and conviction violate his right to fair trial. We demand his release and that all criminal charges against him be dropped.
What were the charges against Maksim Asriyan?
Maksim Asriyan worked as a nurse in clinics in St. Petersburg and volunteered to work in the special coronavirus units in hospitals during the pandemic. In July 2022, he volunteered to go as part of a medical team to help civilians in Mariupol but refused after learning that it involved helping the Russian military.
The war and the consequent loss of life had a powerful impact on Maksim Asriyan. In protest against the war, he decided to set fire to one of the military recruitment centres in St. Petersburg. On the night of 30 September – 1 October 2022, he approached the military recruitment centre, but at the last moment abandoned his intention in order not to put lives at risk. However, Asriyan was caught on CCTV cameras and a week later, on 7 October, he was detained at Pulkovo airport and remanded in custody on a charge of attempting an act of terrorism (Article 30, Part 3, in conjunction with Article 205, Part 1, of the Russian Criminal Code).
By the time the case went to court, it became known that Maksim Asriyan had also been charged with treason (Article 275). The investigative authorities claimed he ‘was in contact with foreign intelligence services,’ his phone had been found to contain ‘instructions and a scheme for committing a terrorist attack,’ and he himself ‘supported the views of the Free Russia Legion.’
On 18 January 2024, Asriyan was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment, with the first two and a half years to be served in a cell-type prison and the rest in a strict-regime penal colony.
Why do we consider Asriyan a political prisoner?
We believe that Asriyan’s actions cannot be classified as ‘attempted terrorism.’ First of all, the law does not allow prosecution for an attempted crime if the person in question voluntarily decides not to carry it out. In order to prove that Asriyan changed his mind about setting fire to the military recruitment centre out of fear of being caught, and not voluntarily, the investigative authorities forced his acquaintances to incriminate him. However, even this testimony, in our opinion, does not prove the charge of ‘attempted terrorism.’ Asriyan was motivated in his actions by a desire to protest against the war in Ukraine, not the desire to intimidate the population, as the offence of terrorism requires.
The charge of treason is probably related to the questionnaire of the Free Russia Legion allegedly found on Asriyan’s laptop. However, if the charge is related to the attempted arson of the military recruitment centre, it is unlawful, since the charge applies only where crimes have actually been committed. The charge may also be related to a donation to a Ukrainian organisation. If this is the case, then Asriyan’s actions are not a crime, but legitimate assistance to a victim of aggression.
A detailed description of Maksim Asriyan’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 Maksim Asriyan at the following address:
In Russian: 399770, Липецкая область, Елец, ул. Пролетарская, д. 1Б, ФКУ Т-2 УФСИН России по Липецкой области, Асрияну Максиму Игоревичу 1996 г. р.
In English: Maksim Igorevich Asriyan (born 1996), Prison No. 2, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Lipetsk Oblast, 1B Proletarskaya Street, Yelets, Lipetsk Oblast, 399770, 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.
