Russian prosecutors seek five years for Nemtsov's daughter; court hands down four-year sentence in absentia

In brief

• A Moscow court sentenced Zhanna Nemtsova in absentia to four years in a colony for organizing the work of an undesirable organization.
• Prosecutors had asked for five years; the court also barred her from running internet sites for eight years.
• The case concerns the Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom, which Russia declared undesirable in 2024.

Court verdict and sentence

The Zamoskvoretsky District Court in Moscow found Zhanna Nemtsova guilty under part 3 of Article 284.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, which covers organizing the activities of an undesirable foreign organization (Жанну Немцову в России заочно приговорили к четырем годам колонии за работу в фонде имени ее отца Бориса Немцова – Meduza). The court sentenced her to four years in a general-regime colony and barred her for eight years from administering internet sites and channels (Жанна Немцова заочно получила четыре года колонии по делу о фонде отца - Ведомости – vedomosti.ru). The trial took place without her, as she is on the wanted list. Propaganda outlets say the prosecution had asked for five years and a nine-year ban on running websites (Прокурор потребовал 5 лет колонии для Жанны Немцовой по делу о нежелательной организации – Москва 24, 05.11.2026 – m24.ru).

The case against her

According to the charge, Nemtsova has been a co-founder of the Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom since 2015. The foundation is registered abroad, in Germany, and Russia declared it undesirable in 2024 (Жанна Немцова* получила четыре года колонии по делу о фонде своего отца – eadaily.com). Prosecutors allege she kept directing its work after that designation, including by publishing video messages in which she described her leading role, financing the group and keeping it running. Nemtsova has said the case stems from her work at the foundation (Гособвинение запросило для Жанны Немцовой пять лет колонии по делу о руководстве ... – currenttime.tv). The foundation was set up shortly after Boris Nemtsov was shot dead in central Moscow on February 27, 2015.

Background of the case

Nemtsova left Russia after her father's killing. A criminal case under the same article was opened against her in 2026, and she was arrested in absentia and placed on an international wanted list. In early October the Moscow prosecutor's office sent the case to court (Дочери Немцова вынесли приговор – news.ru). Shortly before the verdict, the Justice Ministry added her to the foreign agents register.

What it means

The sentence is symbolic in practical terms, since Nemtsova is outside Russia. Her term would begin counting only from the day she is detained on Russian territory. The defense, a court-appointed lawyer, had asked for her acquittal.