Sergei Kornilevsky is a political prisoner
A journalist from Birobidzhan has been sentenced to 30 months in a penal colony on a charge justifying terrorism for a comment on Telegram
The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Sergei Kornilevsky a political prisoner. Kornilevsky has been convicted on a charge of public justification of terrorism for a comment on his Telegram channel about the shooting and wounding of a military officer in Irkutsk Oblast after Russia announced mobilisation. Kornilevsky’s prosecution and conviction violate his rights to freedom of expression and fair trial. We demand the immediate release of Sergei Kornilevsky and that all criminal charges against him be dropped.
Who is Sergei Kornilevsky and what were the charges against him?
Sergei Kornilevsky is a well-known TV and radio journalist in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast and head of the local theatre. On 26 September 2022, commenting on the Rospartizan Telegram channel about the news of the shooting by Ruslan Zinin of a commanding officer in the military recruitment centre in Irkutsk Oblast, he wrote: ‘It’s a ten-year sentence, whether it caused injury or not. […] So let’s hope the shooting wasn’t for nothing.’
As a result of this comment, on 7 February 2024, the journalist’s home was searched and a criminal case was opened for ‘public justification of terrorism on the Internet’ (Article 205.2, Part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Pending the trial, the court banned Kornilevsky from certain activities. Sergei Kornilevsky then tried to leave Russia but was detained at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport. On 16 February, he was remanded in custody.
A psychiatric and linguistic examination conducted by the FSB found that Kornilevsky’s statement ‘contains a positive evaluation of terrorist activity.’
On 8 May 2024, Kornilevsky was sentenced to 30 months in a general-regime penal colony. Meanwhile, 61-year-old Kornilevsky, who had not had appropriate medical care since his detention, suffered a deterioration in his health and lost 15kg.
Why do we consider him a political prisoner?
We believe Kornilevsky’s conviction to be unsound and not based on convincing evidence of his guilt. When Kornilevsky wrote the comment, he could not have known that Zinin’s actions would be classified as terrorism. Kornilevsky himself did not make any evaluation of Zinin’s actions. Consequently, it is doubtful that he intended to justify terrorism. The comment as such does not make clear the writer’s attitude towards Zinin’s action: it is not about the shooting of the military officer but about the punishment for this crime. Kornilevsky’s short statement can be interpreted in various ways.
The court took no account of the views of independent experts who questioned the competence and conclusions of the FSB experts.
The charge of public justification of terrorism is increasingly being used by the Russian authorities to prosecute and intimidate dissenters and to create the false impression that the security services are working effectively. It is particularly shocking that an older person has been sent to prison for a single comment that poses no danger to society.
A detailed description of Sergei Kornilevsky’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 right project agrees with, or approves, their views, statements, or actions.
How can you help?
You can write to Sergei Kornilevsky at the following address:
In Russian: 622058, Свердловская область, г. Нижний Тагил, ул. Кулибина, д. 61, ФКУ ИК-13 ГУФСИН России по Свердловской области, Корнилевскому Сергею Аркадьевичу 1963 г. р.
In English: Sergei Arkadievich Kornilevsky (born 1963), Penal Colony No. 13, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Sverdlovsk Oblast, 61 Kulibina Street, Nizhny Tagil, Sverdlovsk Oblast, 622058, 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.м в России.
