At least 69 individuals subjected to political persecution have died in Russia or Russian-occupied territories since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, according to golosameriki.com. Sergei Davidis, who leads the Political Prisoners. Memorial human rights project, shared the findings on the eve of Russia's Day of Remembrance for Victims of Political Repression. According to Davidis, illness and the absence of medical care represent the leading causes of these fatalities in custody.
Political Prisoners. Memorial Data on Custody Deaths Since 2008
The Political Prisoners. Memorial team has tracked political repression and compiled lists of detainees since 2008, according to the report. Over that entire monitoring period, 81 individuals imprisoned for political reasons have died. Davidis noted a sharp rise in deaths following February 2022, explaining that 69 of the 81 documented fatalities occurred after the full-scale conflict in Ukraine began.
When the Political Prisoners. Memorial group first started recording cases in 2008, its list contained roughly 30 names, Davidis said. Today, the project's tally of political prisoners in Russia has surpassed 1,800 people. According to the organization's report, the demographic profile of detainees has also shifted, with growing numbers of young people and minors facing politically motivated imprisonment.
Systemic Medical Neglect and Kremlin Denials of Political Repression
Davidis stated that the severity of state repression has intensified since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. When the human rights project began its monitoring work in 2008, torture was less frequent than it is today, particularly regarding cases that involve Ukrainian citizens, according to Davidis. He added that fatalities resulting from illness, alongside the denial or delayed delivery of medical treatment, now constitute a systemic issue within detention facilities.
According to Davidis, political persecution in Russia is not an isolated occurrence driven by individual security personnel or judges. Instead, the human rights advocate described the harsh nature of the crackdown and the total lack of leniency toward detainees as deliberate state policy rather than individual misconduct by officials. He further stated that the individuals directly involved in the deaths of specific political prisoners carry responsibility and must face accountability.
While Russian government officials have not issued a comment regarding the specific Political Prisoners. Memorial report, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov addressed the broader subject in September. According to golosameriki.com, Peskov denied reports claiming that Russia holds any political prisoners.
