Russian court jails opposition leader Lev Shlosberg for 11 years over anti-war stance

A Russian court has sentenced Lev Shlosberg, deputy chairman of the opposition Yabloko party, to 11 years and 1 month in prison for publicly opposing the war in Ukraine. The verdict, delivered on August 17, represents a significant escalation in the Kremlin's suppression of dissent ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for September.

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Her blood ... his hands

The Yabloko party, known as Russia's sole legal political party openly against the war, faced further setbacks when the Supreme Court upheld a prior decision barring it from the upcoming elections. This dual action against Shlosberg and his party underscores the Russian government's zero-tolerance policy towards any criticism of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

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30 years ago, Russia embarked on a path from hope for freedom to a path where human rights, civil rights and freedoms are almost completely destroyed.

Shlosberg, 63, a former regional parliament member, was tried in Pskov and accused of "discrediting" the Russian military and spreading "false information." These charges stemmed from his calls to end the war and his sharing of a Telegram post that juxtaposed an image of a bleeding woman with a photo of President Vladimir Putin, captioned "Her blood... his hands."

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The war in Ukraine has changed the lives of all Russian citizens, without exception.

Shlosberg, who has been in pre-trial detention since December 2025, denies the charges. This is his second trial in less than two years; he was previously convicted for violating "foreign agent" regulations. The Yabloko party has denounced the sentence as "barbaric" and stated Shlosberg will appeal. International organizations, including Amnesty International, have condemned the verdict, calling for Shlosberg's immediate release and the repeal of laws criminalizing anti-war speech.

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The Yabloko party expresses its condemnation of the barbaric sentence against Lev Shlosberg, who was convicted for loving his homeland and calling for a ceasefire.