The human rights project Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial published a review on October 26 of people it had designated as political prisoners during the previous week. The review covers defendants in cases involving money transfers, online posts, religious activity and service in Ukraine's Armed Forces. In this context, political-prisoner designation is the human rights group’s assessment, not a status conferred by a Russian court.
Among those listed are Olga Rizz and Alexander Kosterin, each sentenced to nine years in prison on terrorism-financing charges over donations to politician Vyacheslav Maltsev. According to Memorial, Rizz transferred 8,500 rubles and Kosterin 4,500 rubles.
The review also describes cases involving women from occupied parts of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region. Pensioner Natalya Nadeina was sentenced to 12 years for transferring more than 60,000 rubles to the Ukrainian military. Svetlana Kramchanina received 14 years for a transfer of less than 3,000 rubles, while Yelena Chemerega was sentenced to 14 years for transferring 57,789 rubles.
Memorial mentioned student Kirill Bessonov, sentenced to three years over comments about Ukrainian attacks; Russian serviceman Sergei Nichiporuk, sentenced to five years over a post about the military's actions; and Ilya Chubukov, sentenced to six and a half years. Chubukov said he had been tortured after detention; that is his testimony, not a finding established by a court.
A separate part of the review concerns Ukrainian military personnel handed lengthy sentences in Russia after being taken prisoner, and the prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses for their religious activity.