Dmitry Alexandrovich Ivanov (Russian: Дмитрий Александрович Иванов, born on August 5, 1999, Moscow) is a Russian programmer, civil activist, creator of the Telegram channel "Protest MSU”, and correspondent for For the human rights . On March 7, 2023, the Timiryazevsky Court in Moscow found Ivanov guilty under the fake news law and sentenced him to 8 and a half years of imprisonment in a correctional facility .[1]
As of 2023, Amnesty International has recognized Ivanov as a "prisoner of conscience”,[2] and the Memorial Society has listed him among political prisoners in Russia.[3]
Early life and education
Dmitry Ivanov was born on August 5, 1999, in Moscow.[4] In 2017, he enrolled at Lomonosov Moscow State University at the Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics.[5] His activities in politics led him in 2020 to take academic leave in his third year of study.[6] In April 28, 2022, before graduation, he was arrested.[7] During his trial, he sought leave to attend his exams which was refused and on July 1, 2022, he was expelled from Lomonosov Moscow State University as he had not successfully passed the state final certification.[8][9]
Political activity
Since 2017, Ivanov has taken part in participated in anti-government demonstrations and public campaigns, including for student Azat Miftakhov,[10] programmer Konstantin Kotov,[11] and those implicated in the New Greatness Case and the Network Case.[12][6] He offered support to those detained at rallies and facilitated communication between detainees and their families by visiting police departments.[13][14]
In 2018, Ivanov began an anonymous Telegram channel called "Protest MSU" to advocate student grievances.[15] On December 16, 2018, Ivanov was detained by Alexei Okopny from the Centre for Combating Extremism,for taking photographs.[16] Refusing to provide his phone password, the phone was destroyed and access to the Telegram channel was lost [17][18] On December 17, 2018, he re-launched the Telegram channel under its original name, posting was about the torture he was subjected to, as well as information about himself, which lead to a surge in popularity. As a result, Ivanov faced frequent detentions at rallies, demonstrations, and upon leaving his house.[19]
Following 2021 the return and immediate arrest of Alexei Navalny to Russia, Ivanov was detained during a protest on February 2, 2021.[20] On February 3, the Meshchansky Court sentenced him to 30 days of arrest.[19] Ivanov was transferred to serve his detention at the Sakharovo Detention Center,[21] in which he faced additional charges for shouting political slogans while detainees were walking.[22] Prior to facing criminal prosecution, Ivanov spent 101 days under administrative arrest between 2020 and 2022.[23]
In 2021, after his release from detention, Ivanov participated in the election campaign of Mikhail Lobanov, who was nominated by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation for a seat in the State Duma.[24][25]
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ivanov participated in anti-war rallies.[26]
Criminal persecution
On April 28, 2022, he was arrested,[27] and charged using evidence from one of his posts on the "Protest MSU" channel that implied his alleged involvement in organizing a protest.[28] He was sent to serve his administrative arrest in the Sakharovo Center but after serving his 10 day sentence, was immediately re-arrested,[29] and sentenced to an additional 25 days of detention for reposting content from the Telegram channel "Navalny";[30] he served this at the Special Reception Center No. 2 in the Khoroshyovo-Mnyovniki District.[31]
On the evening of June 2, 2022, as Ivanov was scheduled to be released he was informed of further charges and the opening of a criminal case against him.[32] His friends and his mother's apartments were searched and brought in for questioning,[33] and detailed examinations of all "Protest MSU" posts undertaken.[34] His pre-trail detention was extended to August 2, 2022.[35] The court rejected Ivanov's appeals and his case was reclassified as an act committed without the involvement of other individuals, and his detention was extended to September 2, 2022,[36] and again to February 3, 2023.[37] On January 19, 2023, after a hearing, Ivanov was assaulted by an escort within the courthouse.[38][39] The convoy threatened Ivanov with sexual violence.[40] On March 7, 2023, the Timiryazevsky Court convicted Dmitry Ivanov of disseminating "false information about the Russian armed forces" and sentenced him to 8 and a half years in a penal colony.[41][34]
During 2022–2023, several public figures came forward to support Ivanov. Among them were Novaya Gazeta editor-in-chief and Nobel laureate Dmitry Muratov, journalist and reporter Andrei Loshak, journalist and film critic Anton Dolin, journalist and public figure Nikolai Svanidze, journalist Anton Orekh , politician Marina Litvinovich, former head of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights Mikhail Fedotov, dissident and politician Valery Borshchev , co-founder of the Yabloko party Vladimir Lukin, writer and journalist Leonid Nikitinsky , human rights activist and coordinator of the Russia Behind Bars Foundation Alla Frolova, actress Mariya Shalayeva, professor and academician Arutyun Avetisyan , former vice president and executive director of Transparency International Elena Panfilova, politician Konstantin Yankauskas , sociologist Grigory Yudin, film director Boris Khlebnikov, editor-in-chief of TV Rain channel Tikhon Dzyadko.[6][4][42]
On July 15, 2022, the human rights organization "Memorial" recognized Dmitri Ivanov as a political prisoner. On March 7, 2023, Amnesty International also acknowledged him as a "prisoner of conscience".[2][3]
As of July 2024, he was transferred to Corrective Colony No. 3 in Tambov Oblast.[43]
References
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- ^ a b "Student blogger sentenced to long imprisonment in brutal repression of anti-war dissent in Russia". Amnesty International. 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ a b "Иванов Дмитрий Александрович". Поддержка политзаключённых. Мемориал (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ a b "Портрет дня: Дмитрий Иванов – создатель телеграм-канала "Протестный МГУ"". ЭХО (in Russian). 2023-03-01. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ ""Следствие сконструировало один большой фейк". Рассказываем о деле автора канала "Протестный МГУ", которого требуют посадить на 9 лет". Настоящее Время (in Russian). 2023-03-01. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ a b c "История основателя телеграм-канала "Протестный МГУ" Дмитрия Иванова — от активизма в школе до последнего суда". www.groza.media (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "В Москве на выходе из университета задержали администратора телеграм‑канала "Протестный МГУ" Дмитрия Иванова". Медиазона (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "Студента оставили на девятый год". Коммерсантъ (in Russian). 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ ""Подписываюсь под каждым словом, которое написал год назад". Автору канала "Протестный МГУ" дали больше восьми лет по делу о "военных фейках"". BBC News Русская служба (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "В Москве на акции в поддержку Мифтахова задержаны трое". Радио Свобода (in Russian). 2019-03-02. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "На сходе в поддержку арестованного аспиранта МГУ задержали четырех человек". Афиша (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "Суд оставил без изменения приговор фигурантам дела "Сети" — За права человека" (in Russian). 2020-10-20. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "Возле МГУ задержали организатора акции в поддержку Азата Мифтахова". Медиазона (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "Студент МГУ рассказал об избиении за фото сотрудника "Центра Э"". Радио Свобода (in Russian). 2018-12-18. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "Too civil for society: How activists, journalists, and human rights advocates are standing their ground in today's Russia". The Insider (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ Шевченко, Дарина (2018-12-19). ""Не протестовать опаснее, чем протестовать". Студента избили за фотографию". Радио Свобода (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ ""Медиазона": заместителем начальника московского Центра "Э" стал Алексей Окопный (он годами преследовал активистов на уличных митингах)". Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "Студент МГУ рассказал об избиении в автозаке из-за фотографий сотрудника Центра "Э" Окопного". tvrain.tv. 2018-12-17. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ a b ""Диму снова задержали". Автор телеграм-канала "Протестный МГУ" больше месяца провел под арестом, теперь ему дали еще 10 суток". Настоящее Время (in Russian). 2021-03-05. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ ""Закон не работает ни в суде, ни здесь": что происходит с задержанными и их близкими в Сахарове". BBC News Русская служба (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "В Сахарово объявил голодовку автор Telegram-канала "Протестный МГУ"". The Insider (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "Администратора телеграм‑канала "Протестный МГУ" арестовали еще на 10 суток". Медиазона (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ ""Этот стук в дверь ни с чем не спутаешь". Елена Стромская, мама 23-летнего математика Дмитрия Иванова, осужденного на 8,5 года по делу о "фейках"". Новая газета (in Russian). 2023-03-23. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "From Student Activism to Imprisonment". www.groza.media (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "Freedom to say that two plus two makes four. Why mathematician and activist Dmitry Ivanov was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison". Mediazona. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "На дверях квартир активистов и журналистов оставили надписи с буквой Z". Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "В Москве задержан активист и автор канала "Протестный МГУ". Его доставили в отдел полиции и хотят оставить там на ночь". The Insider (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "Автора канала "Протестный МГУ" арестовали на 10 суток в Москве. Накануне его задержали при выходе из университета". The Insider (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ ""Говорить правду легко и приятно". Как следствие сконструировало против активиста Дмитрия Иванова "один большой фейк", за который его приговорили к огромному сроку". Новая газета Европа. 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "Автор телеграм-канала "Протестный МГУ" Дмитрий Иванов рассказывал об атаках на ЗАЭС и убийствах мирных жителей в Буче и Ирпене За посты (и репосты) об этом его отправили в колонию на восемь с половиной лет". Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "Автора телеграм-канала "Протестный МГУ" Дмитрия Иванова арестовали на 25 суток после выхода из спецприемника". Настоящее Время (in Russian). 2022-05-09. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "Автор Telegram-канала "Протестный МГУ" Дмитрий Иванов проходит подозреваемым по делу о "фейках" про армию — "ОВД-инфо"". The Insider (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "Суд в Москве арестовал студента МГУ Дмитрия Иванова по делу о фейках о российской армии". Коммерсантъ (in Russian). 2022-06-03. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ a b "Свидетели Лавров и Конашенков в суд не явились. В Москве на 8,5 лет осудили автора телеграмм-канала "Протестный МГУ" Дмитрия Иванова". Новая газета (in Russian). 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
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- ^ "Автора Telegram-канала "Протестный МГУ" оставили в СИЗО до 2 сентября по делу о распространении "фейков" об армии". The Insider (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-23.
- ^ "«Выходить из тьмы — больно для глаз, но нет варианта не выйти из тьмы». После этапа в колонию политзаключенный Дмитрий Иванов почти сразу оказался в ШИЗО. Он прислал нам письмо и ответил на вопросы «Новой»". Новая газета (in Russian). 2024-04-10. Retrieved 2024-07-23.