Russian Anti-War Politician Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Prison

Lev Shlosberg, a prominent Russian politician known for his anti-war stance, has been sentenced to 11 years and one month in a penal colony. A court in Pskov found him guilty of "discrediting" the Russian military and spreading "false information" about its actions.

Shlosberg, 63, denounced the verdict, stating the trial's sole purpose was to "punish a person for their political, public, and civic position." His party, the liberal Yabloko, announced its intention to appeal the sentence. This ruling came just minutes before Russia's Supreme Court rejected Yabloko's appeal against a decision barring the party from participating in the upcoming September parliamentary elections.

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to punish a person for their political, public, and civic position.

Yabloko was the only officially registered party in Russia that openly opposed the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in 2022. Since the war's commencement, public dissent against Vladimir Putin has been severely curtailed, with public criticism of the army or the invasion carrying the risk of substantial fines and lengthy prison sentences under wartime legislation.

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a mockery of an investigation

The Pskov court convicted Shlosberg based on public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the Russian Federation's armed forces. Prosecutors had sought a 12-year and one-month sentence. The criminal case originated from statements made by the politician and published on social media. In his final statement to the court, Shlosberg reiterated his denial of the charges, describing the proceedings as a "mockery of an investigation" designed to achieve an "obviously illegal goal," according to a transcript published by Novaya Gazeta. He again called for a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war and the initiation of "political dialogue," though he was repeatedly interrupted by the presiding judge during his speech.

Earlier this month, Yabloko was removed from the ballot for the September parliamentary elections. The party faced accusations, including publicly supporting the "international LGBT movement," which the Supreme Court designated as extremist. A lawsuit filed by the pro-Kremlin Rodina party also accused Yabloko of copyright infringement. The party denies all allegations. The other ten parties participating in the elections, scheduled from September 18 to 20, support the war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, support for the ruling United Russia party dropped to 32.1% earlier this month, its lowest level since May, according to state-controlled pollster VCIOM.

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an obviously illegal goal