Nikolai, a member of the United Civil Party, was arrested in December 2021 as part of a criminal case opened under the article "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or actively participating in them." The reason for his arrest, according to available information, was subscriptions to banned Telegram channels and photos from peaceful protests in August 2020 on social media. It is also known that he had already been detained and held for 24 hours during the previous presidential election.
In March 2022, after three months in prison, Nikolai was found guilty and sentenced to restricted freedom without being sent to an open correctional facility.
