Key facts
- Lev Shlosberg, deputy chairman of Russia's Yabloko party, was sentenced to 11 years and one month in prison.
- Shlosberg was convicted of discrediting Russia's armed forces and spreading false information.
- The sentence follows Russia's Supreme Court ban on the Yabloko party from upcoming parliamentary elections.
- Six members of the opposition movement Vesna received sentences of up to 12 years.
- Boris Nadezhdin, an anti-war politician, was released from custody and faces charges related to extremist symbols.
Lev Shlosberg, a senior member of Russia's liberal Yabloko party, has been sentenced to 11 years and one month in a penal colony for criticizing the war in Ukraine, according to independent news outlet Mediazona. Shlosberg was accused of discrediting Russia's armed forces and spreading false information about them. During his trial, he maintained his innocence, described the war as a catastrophe for Russia, and called it a political trial.
The verdict against Shlosberg follows a recent decision by Russia's Supreme Court to ban the Yabloko party from participating in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
In a separate case, a St. Petersburg court sentenced six members of the opposition movement Vesna to terms of up to 12 years in prison. Anna Arkhipova received 12 years, Yan Ksenzhepolsky received 11 years, and Valentin Khoroshenin received six years and two months after pleading guilty and providing testimony against other defendants. The case against the Vesna activists was reportedly built on social media posts announcing anti-war events, with the prosecution arguing that all activists implicitly consented to the posts. Vesna, founded in 2013, became a prominent voice of anti-war protest after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and has been designated an "foreign agent" and "extremist organization."
Meanwhile, anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin said he had been released from police custody and is due to appear in court on Friday, July 17. Nadezhdin, who attempted to run against President Vladimir Putin in the 2024 presidential election, was detained days after being designated a "foreign agent." His lawyer stated he was charged with displaying symbols of extremist organizations, stemming from a social media post linking to Alexei Navalny's banned Anti-Corruption Foundation. If found guilty, Nadezhdin could face up to 15 days in detention.