Eduard Sharlot

Singer. Left Russia, spoke out against the war. He was detained on 22 November 2023 at Pulkovo airport in St. Petersburg, where he flew from Armenia. Shortly before that, the head of the "Safe Internet League" Ekaterina Mizulina announced that she had sent appeals to the Investigative Committee and the Ministry of Internal Affairs with a request to give a legal assessment of Sharlot's actions. In June, the singer posted a video on his Instagram page in which he depicted the burning of his Russian passport, condemned the war and stated his desire to move to Kiev. After the arrest, Telegram channels associated with law enforcers published a video in which Sharlot repents for his actions, explaining there was a "misfire in understanding what was happening" and he burned his passport because he was "mistakenly obsessed with false information". On the same day he was arrested for 13 days under the article on petty hooliganism (article 20.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences): according to the protocol, being on the promenade of the Obvodny Canal, he "expressed himself with coarse profanity in a public place, waved his hands, harassed citizens, shouted, did not react to repeated remarks, thus demonstratively violating public order and peace of citizens". At the same time it was reported that the young man was also subject to protocols under articles on discrediting the army (Art. 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences) and deliberate destruction of passport (Art. 19.16 of the Code of Administrative Offences). On 24 November, Mizulina said that two cases of desecration of symbols of military glory, as well as a case of insulting the religious feelings of believers, had been brought against Sharlot. On 1 December, the singer was transported to Samara, where the cases were filed, and the next day the court sent him into custody. Later it became known that a criminal case was initiated because of the defacement of the passport (video of the singer burning it). In addition, a case of humiliation on the grounds of nationality was brought against Sharlot. In the final trial, the prosecution offered to drop these charges against Sharlot, and the court agreed. On 27 December 2024, the singer was sentenced to five and a half years in a penal colony. In August 2025, it became known that Sharlot's sentence was toughened: it was decided to transfer him to a general regime colony, as he allegedly violated discipline and incited other convicts to inappropriate behaviour. The singer's father said that for two months in Tolyatti colony-settlement No. 1 Sharlot was charged with 19 violations on spurious grounds and four times he was placed in the punishment cell. Because of this, the singer went on a dry hunger strike three times.