A Russian court on Monday convicted a prominent opposition politician for speaking out against the war in Ukraine and sentenced him to 11 years and one month in prison in the latest crackdown leading up to next month’s parliamentary election.
Young social media users and many Russian opposition figures in exile have since come out in support of Yabloko, urging voters to back the party, once a leading liberal voice in parliament that later lost its bloc of seats as the Kremlin tightened its grip on politics. It was the second trial for Shlosberg in the last two years. He was convicted of violating the foreign agent regulations. “They must repeal legislation criminalizing peaceful anti-war expression, end the persecution of Yabloko members and supporters, and respect the rights to freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly and political participation for all Russians. In Moscow, the Supreme Court upheld its ruling of a week ago to remove Yabloko from the ballot in the election for the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, denying an appeal by the party. Its campaign slogans for this year’s election included, “For a ceasefire agreement, diplomacy and peace!
In his final statement to the court Friday, Shlosberg said that for 30 years, Russia has traveled “a path from hopes for freedom to the almost complete destruction of human and civil rights and freedoms. The Central Election Commission in July had allowed Yabloko on the ballot along with 10 other parties.
He has also been designated a “foreign agent,” a label that carries strong pejorative connotations in Russia and brings additional government scrutiny. He said the war in Ukraine has “changed the lives of every Russian citizen without exception,” and predicted that once its true death count becomes known, “the entire country will shudder. “His arbitrary prosecution and sentencing are blatant reprisals for exercising his right to freedom of expression to call for peace,” said Marie Struthers, the group’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia director. “The Russian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Lev Shlosberg and quash his conviction,” her statement added. “Our goal is to prevent nuclear war!” and “For a Russia free from fear and political repression!”
