Freedom Zone
Association of political prisoners' relatives: money for families, parcels, paying for lawyers and fines.
Other ways to reach them: zona.svobody@gmail.com
Get in touch
freedom-zone.com
Helping family and prisoners from abroad
The guides below are drafts: a lawyer has not reviewed them yet. This is not legal advice.
Whom to contact
3 organisationsSolidarity Zone
Lawyers and support for people persecuted for anti-war actions; help for political prisoners.
Other ways to reach them: solidarity_zone@riseup.net
Get in touch
solidarityzone.net
Memorial Political Prisoners Support
Recognises people as political prisoners, raises money for lawyers and parcels, helps families.
Since April 2026 Memorial has been an 'extremist' organisation in Russia: donating or reposting from Russia carries risk.
Get in touch
This organisation is designated 'extremist' in Russia. It says that a consultation is not participation in its work, but messages on a phone that may be seized and reposts of its materials are dangerous. Write from a device you would not hand over if detained.
I understand the risk, continue
Draft What human rights defenders advise
Helping family and prisoners from abroad
- In 2024 the Constitutional Court confirmed that sending money to someone charged under a 'terrorism' article can count as financing terrorism if the sender knew what the money was for.
- Rights groups advise helping through organisations: Solidarity Zone, Freedom Zone, Memorial Political Prisoners Support. Check the designation before donating. Since April 2026 Memorial has been designated 'extremist' in Russia. A donation to an 'extremist' organisation can be treated as financing extremism (art. 282.3 CC). This also applies to people living abroad who travel to Russia or pay with a Russian card.
- Transfers to relatives are visible to banks. Don't send money to 'banned' organisations or people linked to them: the risk also falls on the recipient in Russia.
- In letters to pre-trial detention or a colony, don't write about politics, the case or third parties: censors read everything. Letters to political prisoners can be sent via RosUznik.
- If you are put on the 284-FZ register, dependent relatives can receive a payment from your frozen funds.
Ready-made templates and tools
- Vestochka: directory of political prisoners' addresses and tips on what to write · OVD-Info (project of an extremist-designated organisation) · link checked September 26
- How to write letters to political prisoners (in Russian) · OVD-Info (foreign agent, extremist) · link checked September 26
- How to attend court hearings as a member of the public (in Russian) · OVD-Info (foreign agent, extremist) · link checked September 26
Designations of organisations in this guide: Memorial Human Rights Defence Centre (extremist, on Rosfinmonitoring list); Memorial Political Prisoners Support (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: Advokatskaya Gazeta: Constitutional Court on transfers; Mediazona: cases over donations to FBK (foreign agent)
Need a lawyer
In Russia, First Department and Solidarity Zone find lawyers. Lawyers abroad known for defending political cases: list of lawyers →