Russian blogger Ilya Remeslo sent to Moscow pretrial detention in army fake news case
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Russian blogger Ilya Remeslo was transferred to Moscow's SIZO-7 pretrial detention center on August 24 after a psychiatric evaluation in a criminal case over spreading false information about the Russian army. He will remain in custody at least until September 16 while the Basmanny Court prepares to hear the case. Remeslo faces up to ten years in prison.
Key Facts
- Ilya Remeslo was transferred to SIZO-7 (Kapotnya) in Moscow on August 24, 2026, after a psychiatric evaluation at the Serbsky Institute.
- Remeslo will remain in custody at least until September 16, 2026, while the Basmanny Court prepares to hear his case.
- The criminal case against Remeslo concerns spreading false information about the Russian army and carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.
- In March 2026, Remeslo published Telegram posts calling Vladimir Putin an illegitimate president, a war criminal, and a thief.
- Remeslo was detained in St. Petersburg in mid-July 2026 and sent to the Serbsky Institute for a psychiatric evaluation.
Detention and Charges
Remeslo was transferred to SIZO-7, also known as Kapotnya, on August 24, 2026, after completing a psychiatric evaluation at the Serbsky Institute. His lawyer Sergey Badamshin confirmed the transfer to TASS. The blogger will remain in custody at least until September 16, 2026, while the Basmanny Court in Moscow prepares to hear the case. The criminal case against Remeslo concerns spreading false information about the Russian army and carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.
From Pro-Kremlin Activist to Critic
Remeslo, a former member of Russia's Public Chamber, was known for filing complaints against opposition figures, including Alexei Navalny and the Anti-Corruption Foundation. His complaints led to criminal cases against Navalny over campaign donations and insulting a veteran. In March 2026, Remeslo unexpectedly published Telegram posts harshly criticizing Putin, accusing him of usurping power and calling him an illegitimate president, war criminal, and thief. Two days later, Remeslo was hospitalized in a psychiatric facility, reportedly at the initiative of his sister.
Psychiatric Evaluation and Arrest
After leaving the hospital, Remeslo told journalist Ksenia Sobchak that he would continue criticizing Russian authorities and called himself the head of Russia's opposition movement. Fragments of the Sobchak interview became evidence in the criminal case against him. Remeslo was detained in St. Petersburg in mid-July 2026 and sent to the Serbsky Institute for a psychiatric evaluation. The Serbsky Institute is known for conducting court-ordered psychiatric evaluations and played a central role in Soviet punitive psychiatry.
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Russian blogger Ilya Remeslo sent to Moscow pretrial detention in army fake news case
