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The Supreme Court of Komi has sentenced sociologist and Doctor of Philosophy Nikolay Zyuzyev to seven years in a strict regime penal colony on charges of state treason “in the form of providing other assistance to a foreign state, foreign organisation, and their representatives in activities directed against the security” of Russia (Article 275 of the Criminal Code). The news was reported by the “Ostorozhno, novosti” outlet, citing the FSB.
According to the security service, in February 2022 Zyuzyev began work on a project aimed “against the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Russia. The FSB claims the project included, among other things, preparing leaders of national liberation movements of Russia’s small indigenous peoples abroad, distributing materials labelled “extremist” by authorities, and gathering information for European government agencies and analytical centres.
The FSB states that Zyuzyev received over two million euros (about US$2.15 million) from 12 foreign organisations for this project. The security service also said that the sociologist confessed. The verdict has not yet entered into force.
Nikolay Zyuzyev is a citizen of Russia and Canada, a former lecturer at Syktyvkar State University (in Komi, a region in north-western Russia) and a specialist on the works of sociologist Pitirim Sorokin. In 2008, he moved to Toronto, later returned to Russia, and once again lectured in Syktyvkar. After the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Zyuzyev left the country but continued to visit his native village in Komi.
During one of his trips to Russia in the summer of 2025, Zyuzyev was detained and subsequently placed in pre-trial detention. Initially, he was charged with confidential cooperation with a foreign state or organisation (Article 275.1 of the Criminal Code), but, according to today’s FSB statement, the case was ultimately investigated under the treason article. The rights group “Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial” recognised Zyuzyev as a political prisoner.