Anton Chechin's detention regime has been tightened

Russian citizen Anton Chechin, a participant in pro-European protests convicted in Georgia, has been transferred to a closed prison. Chechin and another convicted Russian, Artem Gribul, were fined for playing cards.

As reported by Caucasian Knot, on September 2, 2025, a Tbilisi court sentenced Russian citizen Anton Chechin to eight years and six months in prison on drug possession charges. Chechin claims that drugs were planted on him for participating in pro-European protests.

Anton Chechin's lawyer, Daria Samodurova, announced his transfer to a closed prison on her Facebook page*.

The lawyer also published a screenshot of an order signed by the director of the penitentiary service, Georgiy Pataridze, stating that the decision was made based on a classified meeting of the prisoner risk assessment group held on April 6, 2026.

The lawyer is currently unaware of what was discussed at this classified meeting. However, she links the incident to a conflict between a prison administration employee, a certain "Makho," and prisoners that began in February, according to the publication "Netgazeti."

The prisoners do not know "Makho's" exact position, although their lawyers claim he insults, humiliates, and threatens them. Following a conflict with him, Artem Gribul, another Russian prisoner arrested during pro-European protests in Georgia, was transferred to a closed facility.

Daria Samodurova intends to appeal the decision against both prisoners. After being transferred to a closed facility, a prisoner's time spent communicating is reduced—the number of minutes allowed for calls and the number of meetings per month, the publication clarified.

Today, it was announced that Tbilisi City Court Judge Nato Khujadze sentenced prisoners Anton Chechin and Artem Gribul to a fine of 5,000 lari (approximately $1,860) for playing cards on prison grounds. In addition to the Russians, Ukrainian Sergei Kukharchuk was also fined.

The "Caucasian Knot" is publishing materials about the recent municipal elections and protests by opposition supporters on the thematic page "Georgia: Elections Amid Protests".

The "Caucasian Knot" also reported that convicted protester Artem Gribul's right to phone calls and visits has been restricted. The reason for a similar decision regarding his fiancée, Anastasia Zinovkina, was complaints about the conditions of detention, the lawyer stated.