A Russian court on Monday rejected the appeal of Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American citizen, sentenced to 12 years in prison for “treason.” She had made a donation of 50 euros to an organization supporting Ukraine.
Twelve years in prison for a transfer of 51 dollars (46 euros). Born in Russia but living in the United States for ten years, Ksenia Karelina saw her prison sentence confirmed by a Russian court on Monday. She was sentenced to 12 years in prison on August 15 for having made a transfer of a few dozen dollars to an NGO helping Ukraine. She was arrested in February while visiting her grandparents in her native country. “The defense appeal was rejected”, “the conviction is now enforceable”the appeal court of the Sverdlovsk region in the Urals announced on Telegram.
Washington, who had denounced “resentful cruelty” of the first instance judgment on August 15, accuses Moscow of deliberately arresting its nationals in order to use them as a bargaining chip intended to obtain the release of Russians detained abroad. The largest exchange of prisoners since the Cold War between Moscow and the West took place on August 1, allowing the release in particular of American journalists and Russian opponents detained in Russia in exchange for that of suspected Russian agents imprisoned in the West.
Increase in arrests
According to Russian media, Ms Karelina had made a transfer of around $50 to the NGO Razom, which provides material assistance to Ukraine. According to the court, these funds were “used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the purchase of tactical medical equipment, equipment, weapons and ammunition”. The court specified that the transfer of funds was made on February 24, 2022, the day Vladimir Putin launched his large-scale offensive on Ukraine. “The accused fully admitted her guilt”according to the court.
Ksenia Karelina, 33, is originally from Yekaterinburg, in the Urals in Russia, but lived in California in the United States, where she emigrated more than ten years ago and obtained American citizenship. Since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine in February 2022, thousands of people have been sanctioned, threatened or imprisoned because of their real or perceived opposition to the conflict. Since 2022, the Russian authorities have increased arrests for “espionage”, “treason”, “sabotage”, “extremism” or for simple criticism of the army, often with very heavy prison sentences.
