Russia's youngest political prisoner Arseny Turbin turns 18 in Perm detention, faces new charges

August 19, 2026 at 12:25 PM2 min

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Arseny Turbin, described as Russia's youngest political prisoner at his 2023 arrest, turns 18 in a single-prisoner cell in Perm pretrial detention center number 5. Prosecutors are preparing new charges against him after a January 7 riot broke out at the correctional facility.

Key Facts

Turbin was arrested in 2023 at age 15 after distributing flyers criticizing Vladimir Putin and sharing posts by opposition politicians.
In June 2024, Turbin was convicted of membership in the Free Russia Legion and sentenced to five years in prison.
On January 7, a riot broke out at the correctional facility in Perm where Turbin was held.
In February, Turbin was moved to a single-prisoner cell in Perm pretrial detention center number 5 while new charges were prepared.
Turbin's lawyers provided evidence he had nothing to do with a notebook supporting a banned youth group planted in his bedside table.

Youth Behind Bars

Turbin was 15 years old when he was arrested in 2023 after distributing flyers criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin, sharing posts by opposition politicians, and expressing opposition to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At that moment, he was described as the youngest political prisoner in Russia. In June 2024, he was convicted of membership in the Free Russia Legion and sentenced to five years. Prosecutors claimed he planned to travel to Ukraine and carry out sabotage against military targets; Turbin admitted putting flyers in neighbors' mailboxes but denied acting on anyone's instructions. Turbin had also shared posts by Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, who died in prison in 2024, and visited his grave in Moscow.

New Charges

Turbin is spending his 18th birthday in a single-prisoner cell in pretrial detention center number 5 in Perm, 1,165 kilometers east of Moscow. He was transferred there in February as new charges were prepared against him. On January 7, a riot broke out at the correctional facility. Family friends said there were immediate efforts to compromise him further after his transfer to the facility, including other inmates seeking to involve him in incriminating conversations. Turbin's lawyers provided evidence he had nothing to do with a notebook supporting a banned youth group planted in his bedside table.