Sergei Furgal, Andrei Karepov, Marat Kadyrov, and Andrei Palei are political prisoners
All four individuals have been sentenced to long terms of imprisonment on fabricated charges for crimes that allegedly took place twenty years ago
The ‘Political Prisoners Support. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Sergei Furgal, Andrei Karepov, Marat Kadyrov, and Andrei Palei political prisoners. The four men were prosecuted and convicted on charges of murder and attempted murder as part of an organised group in relation to crimes that took place in the Russian Far East in 2004-2005. The criminal case has been linked to the political activities of Sergei Furgal, former governor of Khabarovsk Krai, and there are indications that the evidence was fabricated. The prosecution and conviction of the four men violated the right to fair trial. We demand the immediate release of Furgal, Karepov, Kadyrov, and Palei and a review of their cases in a fair hearing. We also demand an investigation into the reports by Karepov, Kadyrov, and Palei that they were tortured, and that those responsible be held accountable.
What were the charges against the four men?
From 2005 to 2007, Sergei Furgal was a Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) deputy in the Khabarovsk Krai legislature; from 2007 to 2018, he served as a deputy from the same party in the State Duma.
In September 2018, Furgal was elected governor of Khabarovsk Krai. In September 2019, the LDPR gained a majority in the regional parliament.
Following this, Furgal’s relationship with the Kremlin soured. On 18 November 2019, security forces arrested Furgal’s business partner, Nikolai Mistryukov, along with Marat Kadyrov, Andrei Karepov, and Andrei Palei. On 9 July 2020, Furgal himself was arrested.
According to the investigative authorities, in 2004 Furgal and Mistryukov instructed Karepov to eliminate their business rival, Aleksandr Smolsky. Karepov hired a ‘regular hitman’ from Kadyrov’s local criminal group, who threw two grenades at Smolsky in July 2004. Smolsky suffered minor injuries. Later that year, the investigative authorities claimed, as a result of a business dispute, Furgal and Mistryukov decided to kill Yevgeny Zorya. Karepov found an assassin — Palei — who killed Zorya in November 2004. Furgal and Mistryukov allegedly then ordered the murder of their business partner Oleg Bulatov, fearing that he suspected them of the previous crimes. Palei also carried out this murder in January 2005.
Furgal and Karepov were charged with two counts of murder (Article 105, Part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code) and with one count of attempted murder (Article 30, Part 3, in conjunction with Article 105, Part 2). Kadyrov was charged with attempted murder and Palei with two murders. Mistryukov struck a plea bargain with the investigative authorities; his criminal prosecution has been dealt with in a separate proceeding.
On 10 February 2023, following conviction in a jury trial, Furgal was sentenced to 22 years’ imprisonment, Karepov to 21 years, Palei to 17 years, and Kadyrov to nine and a half years, all to be served in strict-regime penal colonies.
All the accused maintained their innocence. Karepov, Kadyrov, and Palei alleged they had been tortured into testifying against Furgal.
The defence appealed the verdicts, citing pressure on the jury and other serious violations. However, the convictions and sentences were upheld both in courts of appeal and cassation.
Why do we consider the four men political prisoners?
We consider that investigation into crimes committed in 2004-2005 was renewed because of the political activities of Sergei Furgal, who by then had become an inconvenient figure for the Kremlin.
Two months after Furgal’s election as governor of Khabarovsk Krai, Mistryukov, who was to become one of the main witnesses for the prosecution, was remanded in custody.
Mistryukov agreed to a plea bargain with the investigative authorities after spending over six months in the Lefortovo pre-trial detention centre without visits from his family, meetings with his lawyer, or proper medical care, despite being diagnosed with cancer.
In April 2019, former police officer Vladimir Pershin, another key witness for the prosecution, was released early from prison.
Nonetheless, the prosecution failed to provide convincing evidence of the guilt of Furgal, Karepov, Kadyrov, and Palei. For example, eyewitnesses to the murders, who in 2004 could not clearly identify the perpetrators, were suddenly able to confidently identify them 15 years later. Mistryukov could not recall the means by which he had allegedly paid millions of roubles for the murders. Pershin’s testimony was based on words he claimed had been spoken by Karepov. However, Karepov denied he had said these words.
There was no fair trial. There were gross violations of the adversarial proceedings, with the judge pressuring the jury, and the rights of the accused to a defence and to present evidence not upheld.
This criminal case was the first element in a broader campaign against Furgal and his supporters. Subsequently, another criminal charge was brought against Furgal related to alleged economic crimes. In February 2024, the movement supporting Furgal was declared an extremist organisation.
A more detailed description of Sergei Furgal’s, Andrei Karepov’s, Marat Kadyrov’s, and Andrei Palei’s cases 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 letters to Sergei Furgal, Andrei Karepov, Marat Kadyrov, and Andrei Palei at the following addresses:
In Russian:
111020, г. Москва, Лефортовский Вал, д. 5, ФКУ СИЗО-2 «Лефортово» ФСИН России, Фургалу Сергею Ивановичу 1970 г. р., Карепову Андрею Вадимовичу 1972 г. р.
680518, Хабаровский край, с. Заозерное Хабаровского района, ул. Петра Черкасова, д. 21, ФКУ ИК-13 УФСИН России по Хабаровскому краю, Палею Андрею Сергеевичу 1983 г. р.
680038, г. Хабаровск, ул. Знаменщикова, 6, ФКУ СИЗО-1 УФСИН России по Хабаровскому краю, Кадырову Марату Фанильевичу 1969 г. р.
In English:
Sergei Ivanovich Furgal (born 1970) / Andrei Vadimovich Karepov (born 1972), Remand Centre No. 2 Lefortovo of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia, 5 Lefortovsky Val, Moscow, 111020, Russia.
Andrei Sergeevich Palei (born 1983), Penal Colony No. 13 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Khabarovsk Krai, 21 Petra Cherkasova Street, Zaozyornoe village in Khabarovsk district, Khabarovsk Krai, 680518, Russia.
Marat Fanilievich Kadyrov (born 1969), Remand Centre No. 1 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Khabarovsk Krai, 6 Znamenshchikova Street, Khabarovsk, 680038, Russia.
You can also send letters by electronic mail to Penal Colony No. 13 and Remand Centre No. 1 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for Khabarovsk Krai via ZT (payments by Russian cards), OVD-Info or 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.
