Political Prisoners Database
6,991 individuals persecuted by the Russian state — documented through open source intelligence gathering from publicly accessible human rights monitoring data.
The state kept the records. We made them searchable.
About This Dataset
The Political Prisoners Database draws on human rights monitoring records compiled by OVD-Info, a Russian independent human rights organization tracking political persecution since 2011. The data covers individuals persecuted for political expression, religious practice, journalism, protest, and opposition to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Records include full name, birth year, gender, citizenship, criminal charges, current status, location, sentence details, health information, and whether the individual has minor children in their care.
Every record in this dataset was collected through open source intelligence methods without unauthorized access. The Russian state documented these persecutions through its own judicial and carceral systems — this archive makes those records accessible to researchers, journalists, lawyers, and human rights defenders worldwide.
Persons Currently Imprisoned
Sample records — 2,185 total persons currently incarcerated as of May 2026
| # | Name | Born | Articles | Current Location | Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sergey Borisov | 1982 | Art. 275 Art. 30 Pt. 1 | Penal colony | 6 yrs strict regime |
| 2 | Vitalii Krivoshlyk | 1978 | Art. 275 | Penal colony #2, Bashkortostan | 12 yrs 6 mo strict |
| 3 | Evgeny Nikiforov | 1979 | Art. 275 Art. 30 Pt. 1 | Pre-trial detention | 6 yrs 6 mo strict |
| 4 | Unknown male | — | Art. 280.1 Pt. 2 | Hospital (compulsory treatment) | Compulsory treatment |
| 5 | Dmitrii Lialiaev | 1965 | Art. 280 Pt. 2 Art. 282.4 Pt. 1 | Penal colony #11, Saratov | 2 yrs settlement + restrictions |
| 6 | Yulia Tishchenko | 1980 | Art. 280.4 Pt. 2(C) | Unknown location | 4 yrs general regime |
| 7 | Mikhail Lyakh | 1981 | Art. 280.4 Pt. 2(C) | Unknown location | Fine: 1 million rubles |
| 8 | Maxim Chishkovsky | 1980 | Art. 205 Pt. 1 | Transit / Irkutsk SIZO-1 | 11 yrs strict regime |
| 9 | Rais Mavliutov | 1989 | Art. 205.1 Pt. 1.1 | Vladimir Central Prison | 10 yrs strict regime |
| 10 | Vyacheslav Rossokhin | 1986 | Art. 205.2 Pt. 2 | Transit / Komi SIZO-1 | 2.5 yrs general + restrictions |
| 11 | Vladislav Krenik | 1991 | Art. 337 Pt. 5 | Unknown location | 5 yrs settlement colony |
| 12 | Zelimkhan Ganzhuev | 1985 | Art. 282.2 Pt. 2 | Pre-trial detention | 3 yrs 6 mo strict |
| 13 | Denis Ruzaev | 1982 | Art. 205.2 Pt. 2 | Penal colony | 2 yrs 6 mo general |
| 14 | Oleg Kolesov | 1971 | Art. 282.2 Pt. 1 | Unknown location | 7.5 yrs general + restrictions |
| 15 | Alexander Akulinichev | 1973 | Art. 282.2 Pt. 2 | Unknown location | 5 yrs general + restrictions |
| 16 | Elena Akulinicheva | 1971 | Art. 282.2 Pt. 2 | Penal colony #2, Mordovia | 4 yrs general + restrictions |
| 17 | Maria Kamenskaia | 1962 | Art. 282.2 Pt. 2 | Penal colony #2, Mordovia | 5 yrs general + restrictions |
| 18 | Galina Moreva | 1972 | Art. 282.2 Pt. 2 | Penal colony #2, Mordovia | 4 yrs general + restrictions |
| 19 | Lidiya Tokhmakhova | 1958 | Art. 282.2 Pt. 2 | Penal colony #2, Mordovia | 4 yrs general + restrictions |
| 20 | Vasily Korostil | 1968 | Art. 205.2 Pt. 2 | Unknown location | General regime (pending) |
Access Full Dataset
Collected via open source intelligence — May 1, 2026