The Cassation Court refused to change the sentence of Volgograd activist Nurushev.
The Fourth Cassation Court of General Jurisdiction in Krasnodar rejected the appeal of Volgograd lawyer Ruslan Nurushev against his six-year sentence in a case involving fake news about the army.
As reported by "Kavkazsky Knot", on May 5, 2025, a court in the Traktorozavodsky District of Volgograd sentenced lawyer Ruslan Nurushev to six years in prison, finding him guilty of disseminating fake news about the army. The defense filed an appeal, requesting Nurushev's acquittal. Activists raised funds to pay for Nurushev's lawyer in the appeals process. On July 21, the Volgograd Regional Court refused to overturn Ruslan Nurushev's sentence.
On August 27, it was reported that Nurushev had been sent to Volzhsky Penal Colony No. 12 to serve his sentence. In October, his lawyer reported that Ruslan Nurushev had not complained about prison conditions, although letters to the colony were slow to arrive due to censorship.
The cassation court hearing on Ruslan Nurushev's appeal took place via videoconference on the evening of April 29. Nurushev was brought from Penal Colony No. 12 to the Volzhsky City Court to participate in the trial; his lawyer, Yulia Guseva, was in the Traktorozavodsky District Court of Volgograd. Judge Nozdrin presided over the courtroom in Krasnodar, and a prosecutor was also present.
At the beginning of the hearing, the defense attorney outlined the defense's main arguments, pointing out that the prosecution had failed to prove political hatred motives in Nurushev's statements in the trial court. The defense insisted that a psychological and linguistic examination was necessary to confirm the investigation's version of the defendant's motives, which had not been done. The defense urged the cassation court to declare the lower courts' decisions unlawful and subject to overturn.
"The prosecution's arguments in the trial court were nothing more than speculation. There was no evidence of a crime," Yulia Guseva told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.
According to the attorney, Ruslan also expressed his position in the cassation court. He, in particular, stated that the article under which he was convicted contradicts the Russian Constitution, in particular its Article 29 on freedom of thought and speech. Nurushev also expressed his assessment of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but the judge interrupted him.
“The judge cut short Ruslan's statements, stating that the hearing was considering other matters. Regarding the constitutional violation, the judge suggested Ruslan appeal to the Constitutional Court,” said Yulia Guseva.
Judge Nozdrin ruled to deny Ruslan Nurushev's claims and uphold the decisions of the district and regional courts.
“Ruslan has no complaints about his conditions of detention or his health. He doesn't complain about anything at all: he works in the colony and has good relations with his cellmates. His brother visits him. My two recent attempts to meet with him in the colony were unsuccessful for various reasons. I will still try to meet with him, as we were not allowed to speak at the hearing,” concluded lawyer Guseva.