In Russia, opponent Alexeï Gorinov sentenced to three more years in prison

In 2022, he was the first convicted in Russia for denouncing the assault on Ukraine, punished at the time with seven years in prison. Russian opponent Alexei Gorinov was sentenced to three additional years for “apology of terrorism” on Friday, November 29. “I am for peace, but you like war”said this 63-year-old Moscow municipal councilor to the judge, after the verdict was announced, according to the independent media Mediazonaspecialized in covering repression in Russia.

In July 2022, the opponent of Vladimir Putin’s regime was the first person sentenced to prison for “spreading false information” concerning the Russian army, after having denounced “the ongoing military aggression in Ukraine” during a municipal council meeting on March 15, broadcast on YouTube. This, under an article of the penal code that came into force a few weeks after the attack on Ukraine in February 2022 and has since been used by Vladimir Putin’s regime to silence any criticism of the conflict.

In this new case, Mr. Gorinov was on trial for having conversations with fellow inmates in a prison hospital where he was being treated for pneumonia in January 2023. According to the prosecution, he justified the Ukrainian strikes on the bridge Crimea, an important infrastructure that connects Russia to the annexed peninsula, and the actions of two Ukrainian military units declared “terrorist organizations” in Russia, the Azov brigade and the Kraken regiment. His lawyer, however, explained on Friday that, given the Russian sentencing system, Mr. Gorinov might not serve the entirety of the two cumulative sentences.

“Stop the bloody and unnecessary massacre”

Before the verdict, Alexei Gorinov once again called for “stop the bloody and unnecessary massacre” in Ukraine, according to a speech broadcast by the independent media SotaVision. “Isn’t it time to leave our neighbors alone and solve our own problems? »he declared, adding: “My guilt lies in the fact that, as a citizen of my country, I allowed this war and failed to stop it. »

The opponent wore a peace sign drawn on a piece of paper and attached to his prison uniform. During the first hearing of this new trial, Mr. Gorinov held up a sign with the words “Stop killing!” Let’s stop the war! ». He also denounced the “persecution of citizens who express their opinions” in Russia.

The crackdown in Russia has thrown hundreds, if not thousands, of people into prison over their opposition to Russia’s assault on Ukraine. People are regularly sentenced to very heavy sentences for “treason”, “sabotage” or “extremism”. Russian agencies reported on Friday, citing the security services (FSB), the convictions of four people to sentences ranging from six to 17 years in prison for attempting to burn down a Russian army recruitment office.