A collection of aid has been announced for the imprisoned Alexey Shchus.
Human rights defenders have announced a collection of aid for Sochi engineer Alexey Shchus, who is serving a sentence for spreading fake news about the army on grounds of hatred and for making a slingshot.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", in January 2025, the court sentenced Sochi engineer Alexey Shchus to 5.5 years in a penal colony, finding him guilty of spreading fake news about the army on grounds of hatred (Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) and for making weapons (Article 223 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Shchus and his relatives hoped for acquittal, and the 81-year-old father of the convicted doubted that he would be able to wait for his son's release. The appellate court upheld the sentence.
In April 2024, Alexey Shchus became a defendant in a criminal case about fakes regarding the army. The case was initiated due to reposts on social media made more than two years ago. In August 2024, investigators also accused the engineer of illegal weapon manufacturing – a modified slingshot, and Shchus, who was under a travel ban, was taken into custody.
The "Political Prisoner Info" project announced a humanitarian collection for political prisoners. "Food, medicine, the ability to maintain contact with loved ones – all of this requires money. Such support helps people maintain their health, strength, and resilience. We help people who ended up behind bars not for violence, but for their words, beliefs, and civic stance," representatives of the project stated.
Among the four people who are planned to receive aid this time is Alexey Shchus.
"We plan to send 20,000 ₽ to each – directly to the accounts of the detainees or their relatives," the message states.
Project representatives indicated that this is safe for senders: "We are not under sanctions, transfers go to specific people without prohibited statuses," it is stated in the project's Telegram channel.