Czech Man Jailed 13 Days for Red Square Protest

Sep. 22, 2026 Lenin’s Mausoleum on Red Square in Moscow. Yuri D.K. (CC BY 4.0) A judge at Moscow’s Tverskoy District Court sentenced a Czech man to 13 days in jail on Tuesday for staging a protest on Red Square. Identified as Michal Plamenek, the man was arrested for holding up a sign in English next to Lenin’s Mausoleum on Sunday afternoon, the court’s press service said in a statement. No details were provided as to what was written on Plamenek’s sign, but the court press service said a judge ruled that the inscription was “aimed at discrediting the Russian Armed Forces.” Police officers arrested Plamenek because Red Square directly adjoins the Kremlin, where protests are banned. He allegedly refused to listen to a request by officers to accompany them to a police station and resisted arrest. A judge found Plamenek guilty on three separate administrative counts of discrediting the Russian military, violating protest rules and disobeying a police officer. The judge fined Plamenek 40,000 rubles ($470) for the first violation, 20,000 rubles ($237) for the second and handed him a sentence of 13 days in jail for the third. Read more about: Court cases Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Samara Court Sentences Exiled Cult Leader Svetlana Lada-Rus to 8 Years in Prison A music teacher by training, Lada-Rus first gained attention in the 1990s after opening an occult healing center in Samara. 2 Min read Exiled Politician Leonid Gozman Jailed 10 Years in Absentia for ‘Justifying Terrorism’ State investigators said the charges stemmed from an interview that Gozman gave to a “foreign media outlet” in 2023. 1 Min read Moscow Court Finds Man Accused of Organizing LGBTQ+ Tours Guilty 1 Year After Suicide in Police Custody State investigators had said that Andrei Kotov, who ran the Men Travel agency, died by suicide in late December 2024. 2 Min read Opposition Politician Shlosberg Returned to House Arrest Pending ‘Discreditation’ Trial The Pskov City Court had ruled earlier this week to impose a ban on certain activities instead of continuing Lev Shlosberg’s house arrest. 2 Min read