Russia: Prison for opposition leader over war criticism
Lev Shlosberg of the Yabloko party has been sentenced to over 11 years in a penal colony for criticizing the war in Ukraine. "A single person is imprisoned, yet fear seeps into the hearts of millions," he said in court.
Senior member of Russia's liberal opposition party Yabloko, Lev Shlosberg, has been found guilty of public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the Russian Armed Forces and sentenced to 11 years and 1 month in a penal colony. Shlosberg has described the conflict in Ukraine as a catastrophe for Russia. The Kremlin claims he is spreading false information about the army.
Shlosberg maintains his innocence, calling his trial a political one. On August 10, Yabloko was banned from participating in upcoming parliamentary elections. During his closing statement, Shlosberg called for an immediate ceasefire in the four-and-a-half-year war, expressing his concern for the thousands of lives lost. Public criticism of the war is rare in Russia due to strict laws.
Shlosberg is the second Yabloko leader to face state justice recently; Maxim Kruglov was sentenced to seven years for spreading lies about the military.
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