Whereabouts of six Russian political prisoners unknown after unexpected prison transfers

Update: Opposition politician Ilya Yashin was also transferred from his prison in Russia’s Smolensk region to an unknown location, his lawyer reported on Tuesday. Yashin is serving an 8.5-year prison sentence for speaking out against Russian atrocities in Bucha. Additionally, Kevin Lik, a 19-year-old who was sentenced to four years in prison on treason charges last year, has been transferred from his prison in Russia’s Arkhangelsk region to an unknown location, according to a Telegram group run by his supporters.

The whereabouts of at least four Russian political prisoners are unknown after their lawyers and supporters reported Monday that they had been suddenly transferred to unknown locations in recent days.

Human rights activist and Memorial co-founder Oleg Orlov, who is serving a 2.5-year prison sentence on charges of “discrediting” the Russian army for his criticism of the Putin regime, has been moved from his prison in the Samara region to an unknown location, according to Memorial. His lawyer said that prison authorities refused to provide any explanation for the transfer.

The organization said that as of July 25, the trial court had yet to receive the case materials from Orlov’s appeals hearing at the Moscow City Court, and that under normal circumstances, this would mean that Orlov wouldn’t be transferred anytime soon.

Lilia Chanysheva, a former regional coordinator for opposition politician Alexey Navalny who was sentenced to 9.5 years in prison earlier this year, was transferred from her prison in the Perm region to an unknown location, according to her husband, Almaz Gatin. He said that when he went to the prison to bring Chanysheva a package on July 28, he was told that she had “left the institution.”

Chanysheva, who used to head Navalny’s headquarters in Russia’s Republic of Bashkortostan, was arrested in 2021 for protesting Navalny’s arrest. In 2023, she was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison on a range of charges including “calling for extremism” and “creating an extremist organization.” The Bashkortostan Supreme Court later increased her sentence to 9.5 years. In May, Chanysheva reportedly requested a pardon from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ksenia Fadeyeva, another former Navalny coordinator jailed on “extremism” charges, has also been transferred from her prison in Novosibirsk to an unknown location, her supporters announced on Telegram. They said prison officials refused to answer questions about her whereabouts or the reason for her transfer.

Artist Sasha Skochilenko, who was sentenced to seven years in prison for replacing price tags at a grocery store with anti-war stickers, was reportedly transferred from her prison in St. Petersburg to an unknown location. Prison employees reportedly told her supporters that she was sent to Moscow.

Prison transfers in Russia are extremely secretive and are generally considered some of the most dangerous and grueling periods in the lives of Russian inmates. The simultaneous transfers of four high-profile prisoners jailed on political charges from facilities in various regions is highly unusual.