Arseny Turbin became one of the youngest political prisoners in Russia when he was arrested at age 15 in 2023.
Described by his teachers as “intelligent, thoughtful and fair,” he is currently serving a five-year sentence on terrorism-related charges that he denies.
Earlier this year, investigators opened a new criminal case that could extend the 17-year-old’s term by several more years.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning rights group Memorial has designated Turbin a political prisoner, as part of what activists say is a growing trend of minors being targeted in politically motivated cases since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
More than 100 teenagers are currently facing prosecution in such cases, Memorial told The Moscow Times.
