Russian FSB reportedly opened record number of treason cases in first seven months of 2023

In the first seven months of 2023, the Russian authorities opened at least 82 criminal cases for treason, espionage, and “cooperation on a confidential basis,” according to journalists from the independent outlet Holod, who calculated the number of cases mentioned in open sources.

Because Holod’s journalists relied on publicly available information, the true number of treason cases opened this year so far is likely even higher. According to Yevgeny Smirnov, a lawyer from the human rights project Department One, the Russian authorities have caught alleged “traitors” every working day since the start of 2023.

In 2022, according to Department One, at least 25 treason cases were opened in Russia. In spring 2023, the Russian authorities increased the penalty for state treason, making it punishable by lifetime imprisonment.