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[POLITICS] · Russia, Germany, Serbia, Ukraine · 9 sources

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Russia sentences opposition leader Shlosberg to 11 years in prison

A Russian court in Pskov has sentenced Lev Shlosberg, vice chairman of the liberal opposition party Jabloko, to eleven years and one month in a penal colony. Shlosberg was convicted of disparaging the Russian armed forces and spreading false information regarding the conflict in Ukraine. The Jabloko party has announced its intention to appeal the ruling, describing the verdict as a sign of the collapse of the Russian judicial system.

In a separate development, Russian authorities have reportedly initiated criminal proceedings against Michael Martens, a correspondent for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ). The investigation follows a question Martens posed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press conference in Belgrade, in which he asked how European countries could help to ‘kill more Russians.’ According to reports from the Tass news agency, Martens faces potential charges of inciting hatred or enmity, which could carry a prison sentence of up to six years.

The Russian embassy in Berlin has requested that German prosecutors provide a legal assessment of Martens' statements, alleging they were intentional and lacked an apology. Meanwhile, the Jabloko party faces significant political pressure, having been barred from participating in the upcoming September Duma elections following a challenge by the pro-Kremlin Rodina party. During protests outside the courthouse, Russian security forces detained at least 35 Jabloko supporters.

Entities

FAZ · Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung · Jabloko · Lev Schlossberg · Lev Shlosberg · Lew Shlosberg · Michael Martens · Russia

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