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A criminal case has been opened against activist Sergei Mamaev from Yoshkar-Ola (Mari El) under the article on participation in the activities of an extremist organisation (Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code). He told the Telegram channel “Nothing Will Happen in Mari El.” The media outlet “7×7—Horizontal Russia” drew attention to this.
Mamaev is accused of participating in the work of the “Navalny Headquarters.” Other details of the charges have not been disclosed.
Today, law enforcement conducted searches at Mamaev’s flat and at his dacha. After investigative actions, he was taken for questioning to the Investigative Committee.
Sergei Mamaev regularly organised solo pickets in Yoshkar-Ola, a major city in the Mari El republic. In August 2023, he was fined 1,000 roubles (about US$11) under the offence of displaying prohibited symbols (Article 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences) because of a photo showing him in a city square wearing a T-shirt that read “Free Navalny.”
In February 2024, Mamaev was detained in Yoshkar-Ola while laying flowers in memory of Alexei Navalny. On that day, he was released with a warning. It later became known that police decided not to draw up an administrative report due to a lack of grounds for prosecution.
11 August The criminal case against activist Sergei Mamaev was likely initiated because of rallies and posts dedicated to or associated with Alexei Navalny. This was reported by Mari El journalist Alexey Seregin and highlighted by the publication “7×7.”
According to Seregin, Mamaev is accused of six episodes dated 2023–2025. The precise grounds for the prosecution remain unknown.
“Some of these dates coincide with the date of Alexei Navalny’s death, the day of his funeral, and the anniversary of his death. On VK, Mamaev posted brief messages about this and shared photos of himself laying flowers at the memorial to victims of political repression in Yoshkar-Ola,” wrote Alexey Seregin.
One of the dates in question is 4 June 2023. On that day, Sergei Mamaev posted a selfie in a T-shirt with the inscription “Free Navalny” on the politician’s birthday. He was fined 1,000 roubles (about US$11) for the photo.
On 3 and 20 August of the same year, Mamaev posted links to videos on Alexei Navalny’s channel, according to “7×7.” On 17 March 2024, the activist posted a photo of a ballot with “Navalny” written on it during the “Noon Against Putin” action, which had been called for by the founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation. On 26 March, Mamaev published a photo of the politician on the 40th day after his death.
On 4 June this year, he also laid flowers in memory of Navalny on his birthday.
The activist from Yoshkar-Ola is currently in pre-trial detention. According to his lawyer, Svetlana Sidorkina, he was remanded in custody “on demand” from the security forces.
“There was an order for custody, and the court obliged. Since it was an order, the names of those [who initiated Mamaev’s detention] do not matter. If not these, then there would have been others,” said Sidorkina.
You can support the activist by sending him a letter at:
424000, Yoshkar-Ola, ul. Sovetskaya, d. 100, SIZO No. 1, Russian Federal Penitentiary Service, Mari El Republic
For Sergei Olegovich Mamaev, born 1980