Timofey Mokhnenko is a Political Prisoner

A Donetsk-born Russian citizen is being prosecuted on charges of ‘inciting hatred’ and ‘calling for engaging in terrorism’ for comments about Russia’s war against Ukraine

The ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, in accordance with international standards, considers Timofey Mokhnenko a political prisoner. Mokhnenko is being prosecuted on charges of calling for engaging in terrorism and inciting hatred online for comments he allegedly posted on Telegram. We demand the immediate release of Timofey Mokhnenko and that all criminal charges against him be dropped. We also demand that his allegations of torture be investigated.

What are the charges against Timofey Mokhnenko?

Timofey Mokhnenko was born in Donetsk, Ukraine. He is now a Russian citizen. He lives in Moscow and works at the Institute of Oncology.

On 18 April 2024, law enforcement officers searched Mokhnenko’s home. During the search, the officers threw him and his partner to the floor; Mokhnenko was handcuffed and tortured with a taser.

Subsequently, both Mokhnenko and his partner were sentenced to 15 days’ imprisonment on the administrative-law charge of disobeying police orders. After serving this sentence, Mokhnenko’s partner was released. However, Mokhnenko was immediately sentenced to a further 15 days’ imprisonment on a charge of ‘petty hooliganism.’

When this second jail term ended, Mokhnenko was remanded in custody and charged with the criminal offences of inciting hatred or enmity (Article 282, Part 2, of the Russian Criminal Code) and making public calls for engaging in terrorism (Article 205.2, Part 2). The charges were based on two comments posted on Telegram in 2023. The investigative authorities allege that in these posts, Mokhnenko called on the Ukrainian armed forces to attack Russian troops. However, Mokhnenko denies his authorship.

Since 20 May 2024, Mokhnenko has been held on remand.

Why do we consider Timofey Mokhnenko a political prisoner?

We doubt that Mokhnenko actually wrote the comments attributed to him. The posts were made by a person physically located in Donetsk, but Mokhnenko had not travelled there.

Regardless of who authored the comments, we do not believe they constitute grounds for criminal prosecution.

The charge of inciting hatred and enmity using violence or threats of violence is unjustified. The comments in question did not threaten Russian soldiers, but were addressed to the Ukrainian armed forces, for whom Russian forces are legitimate targets during the armed conflict.

The charge of making calls for engaging in terrorist activity was based on Mokhnenko allegedly urging the Ukrainian armed forces to ‘throw something explosive’ at locations where Russian troops were stationed. We consider that in this instance, such a statement refers not to terrorism but to military action, as Russian forces are lawful military targets in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

In any case, the Ukrainian armed forces do not plan their operations in Telegram chats. It is therefore difficult to imagine that such comments could have led to any real-world consequences.

A detailed description of Timofey Mokhnenko’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 rights project agrees with, or approves of, their views, statements, or actions.

How can you help?

You can write to Timofey Mokhenko at the following address:

In Russian: 127055, г. Москва, ул. Новослободская, д. 45, ФКУ СИЗО-2 ГУФСИН России по г. Москве, Мохненко Тимофею Ивановичу, 1975 г. р.

In English: Timofey Ivanovich Mokhnenko (born 1975), Remand Prison No. 2, Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for the city of Moscow, 45 Novoslobodskaya Street, Moscow, 127055, Russia.

You can also send emails via the F-Pismo and ZT services (for payment with Russian bank cards), PrisonMail (for payment with other 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.