A new case has been opened against school student Arseny Turbin, who was previously convicted in connection with the “Freedom of Russia” Legion case.

A criminal case has been opened against 17-year-old Arseny Turbin from Perm, accused of participating in rioting (part 2, article 212 of the Russian Criminal Code), reports his support group.

The reason for this case is unclear. According to the support group, “a wide circle of people is testifying against him.”

Turbin has been transferred from a penal colony to Detention Centre No. 5 in Perm, a major city in the Urals.

• The school student was detained in 2023, when he was 15. He was accused of participating in the activities of a terrorist organisation (part 2, article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code). Security forces claimed Turbin wrote to the “Freedom of Russia” Legion’s Telegram bot and filled out a membership questionnaire, and then, as a supposed member of the group, distributed “Do you really want this kind of president?” leaflets in the letterboxes of several buildings and published posts critical of the authorities.
• Turbin himself admitted to distributing the leaflets, but said he did so on his own initiative and did not join the “Freedom of Russia” Legion. Human rights defenders noted that in his correspondence with an email address, allegedly linked to the Legion, Turbin only mentioned his wish “to post leaflets and oppose Putin’s propaganda” and said nothing of wanting to participate in combat or any other activities of the military unit.
• In 2024, Turbin was sentenced to five years in a penal colony. He was remanded into custody immediately after the verdict. A few months later, it became known that a fellow cellmate was beating the school student. Relatives also suspected that his parcels were being confiscated. Over four months, Turbin lost 17 kilograms. After the situation attracted attention, the cellmate was moved to another cell.