Belorechensk resident recognized as political prisoner

Human rights defenders have recognized Yaroslav Sukhanov from Belorechensk, sentenced to 6.5 years of imprisonment for preparing to commit high treason, as a political prisoner. The human rights defenders pointed out that the confession which Yaroslav Sukhanov retracted in court could be obtained under pressure.

On July 4, 2023, Yaroslav Sukhanov was detained at a checkpoint on the border of Crimea with the Kherson Region, where he was traveling with his wife by car. The man was sentenced to ten days of arrest for failure to obey a request of an FSB officer.

On July 15, 2023, immediately after leaving the special detention centre, Yaroslav Sukhanov was taken away to some unknown direction. It was not until September 2023, when his relatives managed to find out that the man was arrested on the charge of preparing to commit high treason in the form of going over to the enemy’s side, the “Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial”* human rights project reported.

According to the investigators’ version, Yaroslav Sukhanov was going to participate in the special military operation (SMO) against Russia. At first, Yaroslav Sukhanov confessed, but then retracted his confession.

Yaroslav Sukhanov did not deny that he wanted to go to Ukraine and sent an application form to a Telegram bot, declaring his intention to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, according to the Yaroslav Sukhanov’s version, in reality he did not want to take part in the hostilities on the side of Ukraine, but he intended to legalize himself there, in order to then move to Europe or the United States under a simplified procedure.

The human rights defenders believe that the charge against Yaroslav Sukhanov of intending to participate in the special military operation (SMO) against Russia is unproven. The circumstances of the man’s detention indicate that the case could be fabricated and that Yaroslav Sukhanov was subjected to pressure. According to his relatives’ version, the man was beaten during his detention.

The “Support for political prisoners. Memorial”* independent human rights project considers Yaroslav Sukhanov a political prisoner and demands to stop his criminal prosecution.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that in Vladikavkaz, a court sentenced Saveliy Frolov, a resident of the Moscow Region, to six years of imprisonment on the charge of high treason. The basis for the criminal prosecution was the man’s correspondence on Telegram with a mention of a formation fighting on the side of Ukraine. However, Saveliy Frolov claimed that he did not plan to participate in the hostilities on the side of Ukraine.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.