Russian court upholds 11-year prison sentence for opposition politician Lev Shlosberg

The Pskov Regional Court has maintained the 11-year prison sentence imposed on Lev Shlosberg, a deputy leader of the Yabloko party, following a retrial for alleged "discrediting" of the Russian military and dissemination of "false information" regarding the conflict. The verdict was announced on the basis of two days of closing arguments during which Shlosberg, incarcerated in a pretrial detention facility, addressed the judge for over nine hours, criticizing numerous violations.

In his final remarks, Shlosberg reflected on the fundamental choices each individual makes, emphasizing the importance of maintaining humanity and avoiding actions against human nature. The original charges were based on a social media video Shlosberg posted in which he advocated for an end to Russia's military actions in Ukraine, and his subsequent repost on Telegram of a graphic article showing a wounded woman with Vladimir Putin, accompanied by the phrase "Her blood... his hands."

These actions came after the Russian government enacted legislation restricting the spreading of "false information" about the military. Despite his continued advocacy for ending the conflict from within Russia, Shlosberg now faces an 11-year sentence in a penal colony for his perceived violations of speech laws.