Andrei Pyzh

Video blogger, author of the YouTube channel Urbanturizm. On 5 August 2020, he was detained in Moscow by FSB officers. The next day, the Meshchansky District Court of Moscow elected a measure of restraint in the form of detention in custody against Pyzh. At the trial on the preventive measure, the video blogger's interests were represented by Alexei Khalzov, a lawyer by appointment who, according to media reports, actively cooperated with the FSB. Pyzh was charged with illegally obtaining and disseminating abroad information constituting a state secret. There is no information in the public domain about what specific actions of Andrey Pyzh are considered criminal by the FSB. An anonymous source of the TASS news agency said that "he is charged with transporting to the territory of Ukraine data related to the metro lines in Moscow, as well as underground transport facilities for mobilisation purposes, which are protected by law and law enforcement agencies of the Russian Federation. This information is classified as state secrets." On 29 October 2021, Pyzh was sentenced to five years in a general regime colony. In October 2023, Pyzh was denied commutation of the remainder of his sentence to compulsory labour. In early 2024, he was transferred to light detention conditions. On 30 September 2024, he was released.