Network (Russia)

{{Short description|Allegedly existed terrorist organization}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Expand Russian|date=June 2020}}

{{More citations needed|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox militant organization

| name = Network

| opponents = {{RUS}}

| designated_as_terror_group_by = Russia

| dates = {{Start date|2015}}–{{End date|2017}}

}}

“Network” («Сеть») was allegedly an anti-government anarchist organization active in Russia in 2015–2017. Its alleged members were arrested in 2017 and sentenced on 10 February 2020 by the Russian military court in Penza to prison terms from 6 to 18 years.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

• Dmitri Pchelintsev — sentenced to 18 years in maximum security prison.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}
• Ilya Shakursky — sentenced to 16 years in maximum security prison and a fine of 50,000 roubles (about $536 U.S. dollars as of April 2024).{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}
• Andrew Chernov — sentenced to 14 years in maximum security prison.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}
• Maxim Ivankin — sentenced to 13 years in maximum security prison.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}
• Mikhail Kulkov — sentenced to 10 years in maximum security prison.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}
• Vasiliy Kuksov — sentenced to 9 years in prison.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}
• Arman Sagynbaev — sentenced to 6 years in prison.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

The case of "Network" caused a wide condemnation in Russia, with many protesting against the trials and sentencing.[https://www.znak.com/2020-02-18/kto_i_kak_podderzhal_figurantov_rezonansnogo_dela_seti «Решение по делу „Сети“ — самый настоящий акт террора»] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218125540/https://www.znak.com/2020-02-18/kto_i_kak_podderzhal_figurantov_rezonansnogo_dela_seti |date=2020-02-18 }}, Знак, 18.02.2020. (In Russian) Andrei Kolesnikov from the Carnegie Moscow Center went on to label the story of the "Network" as "the return of Stalinist show trials", referencing the Moscow trials instigated by Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union between 1936 and 1938.[https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/02/11/the-return-of-stalinist-show-trials-a69245 The Return of Stalinist Show Trials] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219015911/https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/02/11/the-return-of-stalinist-show-trials-a69245 |date=2020-02-19 }}, The Moscow Times, 11.02.2020. According to Amnesty International's representative, the organization itself had never existed;[https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/02/russia-prosecution-for-membership-of-a-non-existent-terrorist-organization-must-stop/ Russia: Prosecution for membership of a non-existent “terrorist” organization must stop] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218173710/https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/02/russia-prosecution-for-membership-of-a-non-existent-terrorist-organization-must-stop/|date=2020-02-18}}, Amnesty International, 7.02.2020. Amnesty International had previously expressed concern about torture and other ill-treatment used by FSB to extract confessions from the defendants.[https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur46/9625/2018/en/ Russian Federation: The Network Case, Shrouded In Secrecy And Marred By Numerous Torture Allegations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218183739/https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur46/9625/2018/en/|date=2020-02-18}}, Amnesty International, 24.12.2018. Memorial Society from Moscow also claimed that the whole case was fabricated and politically motivated, and designated the accused as political prisoners.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/they-were-russian-vegans-environmentalists-antifascists-and-airsoft-players-then-they-were-accused-of-terrorism/2020/02/10/1197d95e-4c19-11ea-a4ab-9f389ce8ad30_story.html They were Russian vegans, environmentalists, antifascists and airsoft players. Then they were accused of terrorism.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218204204/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/they-were-russian-vegans-environmentalists-antifascists-and-airsoft-players-then-they-were-accused-of-terrorism/2020/02/10/1197d95e-4c19-11ea-a4ab-9f389ce8ad30_story.html|date=2020-02-18}}, The Washington Post, 10.02.2020.

"Network" is listed as a terrorist group in Russia.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fsb.ru/fsb/npd/terror.htm|title=Единый федеральный список организаций, в том числе иностранных и международных организаций, признанных в соответствии с законодательством Российской Федерации террористическими :: Федеральная Служба Безопасности|access-date=2020-07-13|archive-date=2018-12-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224211726/http://www.fsb.ru/fsb/npd/terror.htm|url-status=live}}