German in Russia faces imprisonment - draconian sentence threatens
After the dramatic court rulings against two US citizens, there is a threat of further sensitive penalties in Russia, where several Germans are also imprisoned. A case of a man has now become known who has been in custody for several weeks.
In Russia, a lawyer with German and Russian citizenship has been arrested on charges of "treason." A court in the Moscow district of Lefortovo announced that the detention of German M. had been extended. Previously, there had been no official or state media reports about this case.
The state news agency TASS reported that German M. was arrested in May in St. Petersburg. He was an attorney who had helped Russians with residence permit applications in European countries. After his arrest, he was taken to Moscow and is currently in the Lefortovo Prison.
This prison is known for its extremely poor conditions. The charges of "treason" against German M. carry draconian penalties that can go up to life imprisonment. According to TASS, besides his work as a lawyer, he was also active in a cyclist initiative.
Multiple judgments against US citizens
In Russia, there have recently been several extremely harsh judgments against people with US citizenship. For example, against the reporter Evan Gershkovich on charges of spying: 16 years of strict labor camp. The American-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva was sentenced to six and a half years in prison at the same time on charges of disseminating false information.
This year, the case of a German became known who is in pre-trial detention in Russia due to several Cannabis gummy bears. He also faces many years in prison.
The German federal government assumed at the beginning of the year that about 30 German citizens were in Russian custody, as a request of Bundestag deputy Andrej Hunko revealed. Approximately half of them also have Russian citizenship.
In connection with the political climate in Russia, concerns rise about potential harsh penalties for foreigners, such as the ongoing case of German M., a dual citizen who could face life in prison for treason charges. Additionally, the Russian government has been implementing severe penalties on individuals with US citizenship, including the reporter Evan Gershkovich and journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, both sentenced to lengthy imprisonment.
