The St. Petersburg City Court on April 8, 2026, handed down severe prison sentences to six young activists accused of affiliation with the youth democratic movement Vesna (Spring). The verdicts include a 12-year term for Anna Arkhipova, 11 years for Yan Ksenzhepolsky, and 10 years for Vasiliy Neustroev. Other defendants received shorter terms: Pavel Sinelnikov was sentenced to 7.5 years, while Evgeniy Zateev and Valentin Khoroshenin both received sentences of 6 years and 2 months.
In addition to the custodial sentences, the court imposed restrictive bans on the defendants, prohibiting them from participating in public events or publishing content online following their release from prison.
The defendants were originally detained on June 6, 2023, in various cities across Russia before being transferred to Moscow for pre-trial detention. The prosecution’s case relied heavily on social media activity and public statements opposing the conflict in Ukraine. Charges included the organization of an “extremist community,” the dissemination of “false information” regarding the Russian Armed Forces, and “incitement to organize mass unrest.” The court also cited “disrespect for days of military glory” and “public calls for activities that threaten state security” as grounds for the convictions.
Of the six convicted, Valentin Khoroshenin was the only defendant to plead guilty and provide testimony against his co-defendants. At least 15 other individuals alleged by authorities to be members of Vesna have since fled Russia and are currently listed as wanted by police.
Amnesty International Response
Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, characterized the judicial proceedings as a “rubber-stamp” for politically motivated reprisals. Struthers stated that the evidence presented was too weak to justify the trial, asserting that the charges were “blatantly fabricated” and that the case should have been dismissed at its inception.
Amnesty International has officially designated Anna Arkhipova, Vasiliy Neustroev, Yan Ksenzhepolsky, Evgeniy Zateev, and Pavel Sinelnikov as prisoners of conscience. According to the organization, the verdicts demonstrate that Russian authorities are treating anti-war activism as a criminal offense by labeling it “extremism.”
Struthers called for the immediate and unconditional release of all co-defendants in the Vesna case and the overturning of the court’s verdicts. The organization further demanded that Russian authorities cease the use of criminal legislation to suppress dissent and fulfill international human rights obligations regarding the freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
