State Prosecutors Seek 12-Year Prison Sentence for Lev Shlosberg
The veteran opposition politician is accused of “discrediting” and spreading “fake news” about the Russian armed forces.
State prosecutors in the northwestern city of Pskov have requested a 12-year and one-month prison sentence for Lev Shlosberg, a prominent opposition politician. The charges stem from Shlosberg disseminating "fake news" about the Russian military and discrediting wartime censorship. Shlosberg, a senior member of the liberal Yabloko party, denies the accusations, claiming they are an attempt to discredit Russian law.
The charges are based on a February 2022 post on Telegram, featuring a British tabloid's cover of President Vladimir Putin with a bloodied woman, and a January 2025 public debate where Shlosberg was accused of advocating for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Shlosberg's legal team has faced procedural irregularities, including the judge's refusal to question him directly and the appointment of a state lawyer after his defense attorneys missed hearings.
The request for the prison sentence comes shortly after Russia's Supreme Court barred Yabloko's federal candidate list from upcoming State Duma elections.
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