Russian opposition politician Lev Schlosberg sentenced to 11 years for discrediting army

Lev Schlosberg, a former Russian senator and prominent opposition activist, was found guilty on Thursday of “discrediting” the Russian army by a court in Moscow. The verdict, issued under the 2022 law that criminalizes statements deemed to undermine the reputation of the armed forces, carries a fine of 300,000 roubles and a six‑month suspended sentence. Prosecutors cited Schlosberg’s public comments on the conflict in Ukraine and his participation in anti‑war demonstrations as evidence of the alleged offense.

Schlosberg denounced the ruling as a politically motivated punishment, stating that the judgment targets his opposition activities rather than any genuine legal breach. International human‑rights organizations have repeatedly warned that the “discrediting the army” statute is being used to suppress dissent and silence critics of the government’s military policies. The case adds to a series of recent convictions of activists and journalists under the same law, underscoring the tightening of legal constraints on free expression in Russia.