A Moscow court on Wednesday sentenced exiled former lawmaker Ilya Ponomaryov to 10 years in prison in absentia for “justifying terrorism” and spreading “fakes” about the Russian military.
Ponomaryov, who serves as a member of a Russian shadow parliament based in Poland, was accused of violating Russia’s wartime censorship laws in a March 2022 video interview in which he “reported knowingly false information” out of “political hatred.”
In a statement, Prosecutors did not provide details about the “justifying terrorism” charges pressed against Ponomaryov. However, the independent Medizona news outlet reported that he was accused of approving arson attacks against military sites inside Russia.
Moscow’s Second Western Military Garrison Court handed Ponomaryov a 10-year prison sentence in absentia and banned him from managing websites or social media pages for four years. Prosecutors had requested a 14-year prison sentence for the ex-lawmaker earlier on Wednesday.
Russia outlawed the spread of information it deems to be “fake” about the military shortly after it invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Ponomaryov was the only State Duma lawmaker to vote against Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. He went into exile in 2016 after being charged with embezzlement, and since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he has called for the violent overthrow of President Vladimir Putin.
Russian authorities have since labeled Ponomaryov a “foreign agent” and added him to a list of “terrorists and extremists.”
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.
×
Remind me next month
Thank you! Your reminder is set.