A child or teenager has been detained

• Administrative and criminal liability start at 16, and at 14 for some crimes. Minors are held separately from adults, and the police must inform parents immediately.
• A teenager can only be released to a legal guardian. If parents may not make it in time, give a trusted person a power of attorney in advance.
• A teacher or psychologist must attend the questioning of anyone under 16; a parent may take part from the first interrogation. Art. 51 of the Constitution applies to children too.
• Detention often leads to registration with the juvenile police unit, which can be lifted. Call to Conscience and First Department explain how to opt out of basic military training and propaganda classes. A written opt-out sometimes leads the school to complain to child services, so read the note on pressure on families first.
• Where to turn: OVD-Info (bot), First Department. OVD-Info is designated 'extremist' in Russia, so contact it from a device that is not checked. Psychological support for the family: First Line.

Designations of organisations in this guide: OVD-Info (foreign agent, extremist, on Rosfinmonitoring list). Contacting them carries a risk: do not write from a phone that may be seized, and do not repost their materials.

current as of 25 September 2026. More: First Department: my child was detained (foreign agent); OVD-Info: detention of minors (extremist); Call to Conscience: opting out of military training and propaganda classes