Five Russians convicted of 'high treason' and 'terrorism' to long imprisonment
The Russian justice system has sentenced five individuals in various cases to prison terms between ten and 22 years for "high treason" and "terrorism."
A transgender activist, who was born female but charged with "high treason" to benefit Kiev, was sentenced to twelve years in prison in the region of Oriol, as reported by the news agency RIA Novosti on Thursday evening, citing the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).
The activist, arrested in July 2023, is accused of transferring money to an account in Ukraine for the financing of Ukrainian military forces.
In another case, a military court in Moscow sentenced two men to 22 and 15 years in prison on Friday, according to the agency Interfax. They were charged with "participation in a terrorist organization." Telegram users, who identified themselves as members of the Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR), allegedly offered them money. In exchange, the men were supposed to destroy fuel tanks at the Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport using a drone. Both men confessed.
In the southern region of Rostov, a military court sentenced a 23-year-old man to eleven years in prison on Thursday for wanting to join the "Freedom Legion of Russia" fighting for Ukraine, as reported by the state news agency Tass. Another man was sentenced to ten years in prison on Friday. The FSB accuses him of collecting information about potential targets for Ukrainian drones in St. Petersburg and planning to join the "Freedom Legion of Russia."
Russian authorities are taking a hard line against opposition and critics of the military offensive in Ukraine. Thousands of Russians have already been brought before the courts, with dozens sentenced to long prison terms, most for "high treason" or "terrorism."
- The transgressors, including five Russians, are facing severe punishments due to their involvement in high-level treason and terrorism activities against Russia.
- Reports suggest that a week ago, a Russian was sentenced to ten years in prison for expressing an oppositional stance, charged with treason for supporting Ukrainian military forces financially.
- The international community has condemned these harsh sentences, labeling them as a form of political repression, resulting in accusations of human rights violations towards Russians perceived as oppositional to the government.
