A court in Pskov, located in the northwest of Russia, found a veteran and member of the Yabloko party guilty of “public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation” and sentenced him to 11 years and one month of imprisonment.
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In response to the sentence against L. Shlosberg, Marie Struthers, Director of Amnesty International for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, stated: “Just for participating in anti-war discussions and sharing a post on social media, Lev Shlosberg faces more than 11 years in prison. His arbitrary criminal prosecution and conviction are a clear crackdown for exercising his right to freedom of expression by calling for peace.”
“The disqualification of the Yabloko party from the State Duma elections in September is further proof that there is no place for political pluralism and anti-war expression in today’s Russia,” she added, urging the immediate release of the man.
In his final statement in court, L. Shlosberg spoke about how thousands of people in Russia have become targets because of their “peaceful, non-violent, and humanitarian” beliefs.
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“In reality, in this courtroom, I am the Russian Federation, which has been locked in a cage and is being forced to be silent,” he said.
The charges against L. Shlosberg relate to his participation in online discussions about the war against Ukraine and sharing a social media post featuring the front page of the Daily Mirror newspaper, which depicted Vladimir Putin and a bloodied Ukrainian woman.
L. Shlosberg’s trial ended amid growing pressure on the Yabloko party.
Last week, the Russian Supreme Court banned the party from participating in future State Duma elections. Yabloko has appealed this decision.
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