Valentin Khoroshenin (b. 2001), a Catholic believer from St. Petersburg, member of the Vesna (Spring) youth movement, a political prisoner.
After the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Vesna became the coordinator of anti-war protests. In May 2022, the first criminal case was opened against some members of the movemnet under the article on the creation of an NGO infringing on the rights of citizens (Article 239 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). In October, the movement was recognized as a foreign agent, and in December — an extremist organization.
On 5 June 2023, several criminal cases were opened against 21 people associated with the Vesna organization. According to the investigation, members of the movement gathered in an extremist community to impede the activities of Russian government agencies, abolish law enforcement agencies, cause damage to the country’s defence (Part 1 of Article 282.1 and Part 2 of Article 282.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), encourage citizens to illegal actions (Part 2 of Article 239 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) and mass riots (Part 1.1 of Article 212 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), to disseminate deliberately false information about the Russian army (paragraphs ‘b’ and ‘d’ of Part 2 of Article 207.3) and days of military glory (Part 4 of Article 354.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), as well as to publicly call for activities against the security of Russia (Part 3 of Article 280.4 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
Khoroshenin was detained on 6 June 2023 on charges of committing crimes under Part 1 of Art. 282.1, part 4 art. 354.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to investigators, supporters of Vesna, including Khoroshenin, posted calls on the internet to take part in anti-war protests on 25-27 February 2022, thereby allegedly encouraging citizens to commit illegal actions. Since then, Khoroshenin has been in jail.
In September 2023, the ‘Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project recognized Khoroshenin as a political prisoner and his criminal prosecution for anti-war comments — as politically motivated and illegal.
In the survey of political prisoners by Novaya Gazeta, Khoroshenin declared:
“I am a Christian; the Gospel and Social Teaching of the Roman Catholic Church have greatly influenced my worldview. I am a family man who stands up for my family and friends, respects my parents and intends to start a family with my beloved bride. I am a citizen who loves his country and shares the concepts of Fatherland and Your Majesty. I am an educator, no matter how loudly it may sound; in St. Petersburg, I was actively involved in the popularization of scientific humanities knowledge, and I am still convinced that changes will come from changes in the outlook of citizens, and from nowhere else.
Letters to Khoroshenin can be sent by email or snail mail at the following address:
109382, Moscow, st. Verkhnie Polya, 57, FKU SIZO-7 Kapotnya, Valentin Alekseevich Khoroshenin, born in 2001.
The services F-Pismo and Zonatelecom can be used; and for paying with foreign cards — PrisonMail.
