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Russian Court Sentences Opposition Politician Lev Shlosberg to 11 Years in Prison

6 sources across 6 countries

Who reported this

  • Infobae Argentina · Centre-right · Daniel Hadad
  • Le Monde France · Centre-left · Fonds pour l'independance de la presse
  • ANSA Italy · Centre · Publisher cooperative
  • Novaya Gazeta Europe Latvia · Centre-left · Crowdfunded; exiled Russian newsroom
  • Reuters United Kingdom · Centre · Thomson Reuters Corporation
  • Bloomberg United States · Centre · Bloomberg L.P. (Michael Bloomberg)

What the colours mean

  • Left
  • Centre-left
  • Centre
  • Centre-right
  • Right
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A court in the Pskov region has sentenced Lev Shlosberg, the 63 year old vice president of the liberal opposition party Yabloko, to 11 years and one month in a penal colony. The court convicted Shlosberg of discrediting the Russian army and spreading false information regarding the conflict in Ukraine. The charges stem from Shlosberg sharing a 2022 post from Echo of Moscow that featured a Daily Mirror cover depicting President Vladimir Putin, as well as his public calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Shlosberg did not admit guilt and described the war as a catastrophe for Russia during his trial. His legal troubles include a previous sentence of 420 hours of community service for failing to fulfill duties as a foreign agent. The sentencing occurs amid a broader crackdown on the Yabloko party, which was recently barred from participating in upcoming parliamentary elections. In response to the ruling, Yabloko leaders described the verdict as a collapse of the modern Russian judicial system.

Reports on the event vary in framing based on political lean. Center and center right sources describe the event as a sentencing for the dissemination of false information and criticism of the military. Center left sources frame the conviction as a political reprisal and an act of intimidation intended to silence anti war voices and eliminate political pluralism in Russia.

How each side framed it

Centre-left
Framed the sentencing as a tool of political repression and a violation of freedom of expression.
Centre
Presented the sentencing as a factual legal outcome involving charges of discrediting the army.
Centre-right
Highlighted the legal charges and the politician's history of criticizing the military campaign.

Sources

100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.