Russia's prominent anti-war politician jailed for 11 years
Lev Schlosberg is found guilty of "discrediting" Russia's army - a verdict he condemns as punishment for his political position.
Lev Shlosberg, a prominent Russian anti-war politician, has been handed an 11-year and one-month sentence in a penal colony. The charges against him include "discrediting" Russia's armed forces and "spreading false information" about them.
Shlosberg, 63, denounced the ruling by a Pskov city court, stating its sole purpose was to "punish a person for his political, public and civil position." His liberal political party, Yabloko, where he serves as deputy head, announced its intention to appeal the verdict.
This judgment came mere minutes before Russia's Supreme Court rejected Yabloko's appeal against a ban preventing the party from participating in September's parliamentary elections. Yabloko stood as the only registered party to oppose Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which commenced in 2022.
Since the invasion began, any remaining opposition to President Vladimir Putin, who has been in power for nearly 27 years, has been suppressed in Russia. Public expressions of dissent are stifled by wartime censorship laws, potentially leading to substantial fines or lengthy prison terms.
The Pskov court, located in north-western Russia, delivered its verdict on Monday, finding Shlosberg guilty of "public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the armed forces of the Russian Federation." The prosecution had sought a 12-year and one-month jail term. The criminal charges stemmed from comments Shlosberg posted on social media.
In his closing statement, Shlosberg reiterated his rejection of all charges, characterizing the trial as "an imitation of an investigation" designed to "achieve an obviously illegal goal," according to a transcript published by Novaya Gazeta newspaper. The opposition politician also reiterated his call for a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war and the initiation of "political dialogue," a statement that was repeatedly interrupted by the presiding judge.
Yabloko was removed from the ballots earlier this month following accusations that the party publicly supports the "international LGBT movement," which Russia's Supreme Court has designated as extremist. A lawsuit filed by the pro-Kremlin nationalist party Rodina also alleged that Yabloko was guilty of copyright infringement. Yabloko denies all accusations.
All 10 other parties slated to participate in the 18-20 September election support the war in Ukraine. Recent ratings for the ruling United Russia party dipped to 32.1% earlier this month, marking the lowest figure since May, according to Russia's state-owned pollster VCIOM. Despite this, the Kremlin is widely believed to possess the resources to secure its desired outcome in the election. Independent election watchdogs have largely been stripped of their capacity to monitor and challenge the electoral process.