Second anniversary of Navalny’s death: detentions and pressure on participants in memorial events: Human rights news, court updates & analysis | 11 related articles

18.02.2026

13:54

The Kirovsky District Court in Yaroslavl has sentenced lawyer Andrei Akimov to five days’ administrative arrest. He was detained on 16 February near the monument to victims of political repression at the Leontyevsky cemetery. This was reported by the “Rassvet” party; Akimov is the secretary of its Yaroslavl branch.

The party noted that the lawyer simply left flowers at the monument; he did not bring any posters or chant any slogans. Nevertheless, the court found him guilty of organising an unauthorised gathering (part 2, article 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offences).

Additionally, an administrative report was drawn up against him for refusing a medical examination (article 6.9 of the Code of Administrative Offences), but that case has not yet been considered by the court.

Earlier, Akimov’s wife told OVD-Info that on 16 February, two other people had also been detained in Yaroslavl, a city north-east of Moscow. She said that one of those detained gave statements claiming the lawyer was the organiser of the gathering, although this does not correspond to the facts.

17.02.2026

17:39

Krasnoyarsk Krai

In Krasnoyarsk, a major city in Siberia, on 16 February, local resident Viktoria and her sister, who was filming the event on her phone, were detained while laying flowers at the memorial to victims of political repression. Viktoria herself told OVD-Info about the incident.

The women were taken to the police station where, according to Viktoria, there was no one available to question them: the duty officer attempted to interrogate them right in the lobby, but she said she stopped this attempt on the grounds that it was unlawful. Afterwards, their details, addresses and phone numbers were recorded and they were released from the station without any charges being filed.

15:13

Saint Petersburg

In St Petersburg, two more people detained on 16 February at the memorial to victims of political repression have been arrested. Their detention had not previously been reported.

According to the St Petersburg courts’ press service, the Smolninsky District Court found Denis Dolinov and Alexander Bondarenko guilty of displaying prohibited symbols (Part 1, Article 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences).

Two reports were filed against Dolinov for inscriptions in the snow. The press service claims that he wrote a slogan of the Ukrainian National Revolutionary Army in the snow—presumably “Glory to Ukraine.” The second report was for writing “Navalny lives.” Dolinov was sentenced to 14 days' arrest for the first inscription and 12 days for the second.

Bondarenko was sentenced to 10 days' arrest for leaving a photo of Navalny on the parapet.

13:26

Volgograd Oblast

In Volgograd, a major city in southern Russia, on the evening of 16 February, activist Vladimir Telpuk was detained at the monument to victims of political repression, reports Caucasian Knot.

Around 8pm, police detained the activist after he laid flowers at the plinth and took a few photos. At that time, there was no one else at the monument except himself and law enforcement officers.

Telpuk noted that at first he had approached the monument several times without flowers and the police showed no reaction.

The officers first demanded to see his documents.

“They told me I looked like someone they were searching for based on a description and that I needed to go with them to the station. At the 4th police station, they checked my documents and questioned me. They asked where I lived. I replied, in Krasnoarmeysky district. They asked what I was doing in the Central district of the city. I answered briefly,” Telpuk told the publication.

About an hour later he was released from the station without an official report being filed.

Yesterday afternoon, another Volgograd resident was detained at the monument. No report was filed for them either.

16.02.2026

21:06

Republic of Bashkortostan

In Ufa, a major city in the Urals, at least nine people were detained in one day while laying flowers.

Timur Kalimullin told OVD-Info he was detained at the memorial to victims of political repression at about 5 pm. He was taken to Police Station No. 7, where he was questioned and given a formal warning. About three hours later, he was released without any charges. Kalimullin was also detained at last year’s memorial event.

In addition, there are currently eight other people in the same police station who were detained today while laying flowers. This was reported by one of the detainees, who asked to remain anonymous.

22:20 OVD-Info lawyer Maksim Kuznetsov arrived at the station to see the detainees. By that time, six people had been released without any charges. They had been questioned by a Centre “E” officer and given a formal warning.

The lawyer has not yet been allowed to see the two remaining detainees.

22:40 OVD-Info lawyer Maksim Kuznetsov clarified that there had been seven detainees: six were released from the police station with a formal warning, and one woman was released without signing anything. According to Kuznetsov, three of those detained had been at the police station since early morning.

20:25

Saint Petersburg

In St Petersburg, 22-year-old Alexandra Churakova was detained at the monument to the victims of political repression when she tried to leave a photograph of Navalny. She told OVD-Info about the incident.

Churakova is due to be taken to the 76th police station. During the detention, law enforcement officers mentioned the article on displaying prohibited symbols (Part 1, Article 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences). Over the past year, this article has been actively used against people who published or left photographs of the politician at monuments.

An OVD-Info lawyer, Igor Skachko, travelled to the detainee.

21:19 The lawyer reported that Churakova was taken to the 78th police station, not the 76th.

22:25 The lawyer was not allowed into the police station to see the detainee. The duty officer said he had received an order not to admit the defence lawyer. As a result, Skachko left.

17 February The Smolninsky District Court of St Petersburg sentenced Alexandra Churakova to 12 days’ arrest on charges of displaying prohibited symbols (Part 1, Article 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences), her OVD-Info lawyer Igor Skachko reported.

The name of the court has been corrected in this article.

20:07

Voronezh Oblast

Voronezh activist Nikita Nesmeyanov faced pressure from law enforcement while laying flowers in memory of Navalny, he told OVD-Info.

Nesmeyanov brought flowers to a monument to the poet Osip Mandelstam. The activist says that first a man approached him, introducing himself as a police officer. He started questioning him about why he brought flowers specifically on this day, noting that the date had no connection to Mandelstam. When Nesmeyanov directly stated the reason he left the flowers, the officer asked what his connection to Navalny was.

“I believe that Alexei Navalny is a hero,” the activist replied.

“A hero to whom?”

“A fighter for freedom, for a free Russia.”

“You think Russia is occupied by someone? Why do you say it isn’t free?”

“Because there is repression and censorship.”

The officer then left and returned with a masked man, who began filming Nesmeyanov on his phone. They demanded the activist’s ID, threatening to take him to police station No. 6 if he refused. After that, the activist showed his passport and was not detained.

The masked officer threw away the flowers that Nesmeyanov had left.

15:04

Moscow

In Moscow, police detained a protester who was holding a vigil for Navalny at the main entrance to VDNKh. They held a placard reading: “Russia will be free! 16.02.2024.” This was reported by “Slovo Zashchite” (“Word to the Defence”).

16:19 An OVD-Info lawyer, Alexey Golenko, went to assist the underage detainee at VDNKh.

19:46 The minor protester was released from the police station serving VDNKh, according to OVD-Info lawyer Alexey Golenko.

No protocol was drawn up for the protester, but one was issued for the teenager’s father, who had come to the station to pick them up. The man was charged with failure to fulfil parental duties (Part 1, Article 5.35 of the Code of Administrative Offences).

It has also come to light that journalist Grigory Potyomkin was detained alongside the protester. He himself reported this to OVD-Info. He was released even earlier. The police did not issue a protocol for him either.

13:45

Saint Petersburg

In St Petersburg, police detained a man who photographed a cordoned-off memorial to the victims of political repression, reports RusNews.

Last year, on the anniversary of Navalny’s death, supporters came to this very memorial with flowers. Today, the monument was cordoned off with equipment under the pretext of some sort of works. Because of this, no one is being allowed near the memorial, and police are standing guard nearby.

“The monument has been fenced off, supposedly because work is underway. In reality, it’s obvious to everyone why this is being done. Three police officers are standing around just in case, in case someone still tries to lay flowers,” the man had earlier said.

He was taken to the 76th police station. The police intend to fine him, but under what article is unclear.

17:52 The detained St Petersburg resident was released from the station without a protocol, reports RusNews.

“Even the traffic officer at the station said this is absurd,” he said.

13:21

Volgograd Oblast

A resident of Volgograd named Andrey was detained at the monument to the victims of political repression. He told OVD-Info about this himself.

The security forces did not explain the reason for his detention. Andrey was taken to police station No. 4. After that, he stopped responding to messages.

14:28 The detainee was released from the police station without any protocol being drawn up, he himself told OVD-Info.

Andrey clarified that he was detained at around 11:00 near the monument to victims of political repression while laying flowers. Several people in plain clothes approached him and asked for his ID. He was then taken to a car and driven to the police station.

At the police station, one of the officers wrote a statement based on Andrey’s words. Then Andrey was photographed and had his fingerprints taken. One of the security officers recited facts from Andrey’s biography that could not be found in official databases—his previous hair colour, his Telegram username, and comments he left on a video in the same messenger.

The reason for Andrey’s detention was never given. He was released at about 13:30.