Vyacheslav Malakhov is a Russian poet, writer, musician, and blogger known for his outspoken criticism of the Russian government and the war in Ukraine. He is a co-author of the satirical page “Pre-revolutionary Sovetchik” on the Russian social network VK.
On January 31, 2024, Malakhov was arrested in Moscow on charges of “repeatedly discrediting the Russian armed forces.” The charges stem from a Telegram post published in September 2023, in which he openly criticized Vladimir Putin for the invasion of Ukraine, state-sponsored homophobia, and religious hypocrisy. He had already been fined in August 2023 for a similar post.
On October 24, 2024, the Khamovniki District Court in Moscow sentenced him to two years in a general-regime penal colony and banned him for an additional two years from administering websites or social media pages.
Human rights organizations consider Malakhov a political prisoner, emphasizing that his detention violates his right to free expression and a fair trial.
During the trial, Malakhov spoke of a personal emotional collapse, recalling his childhood during the civil war in Tajikistan and comparing the suffering of Ukrainian refugees to what he experienced as a child.
He is currently imprisoned in a penal colony, and several international groups continue to call for his release.
