Russia-Ukraine war: Moscow politician gets 7 years for denouncing war

In what is reportedly the first complete jail term under new legislation targeting dissent, a Moscow councillor has been sentenced to seven years in prison for speaking out against Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.

After being caught on camera criticising the invasion during a city council meeting in April, Alexei Gorinov, 60, was taken into custody. Anyone who promotes “false news” about the military could spend up to 15 years in prison under the post-invasion rule. It is forbidden for Russians to refer to the invasion as a war.

However, in speeches to legislative leaders on Thursday, President Vladimir Putin mentioned the “war in the Donbas.” He has since devised the term “special military operation.” The first prison sentence under the new law, according to human rights campaigner Pavel Chikov, was given to Gorinov. Judges have only imposed fines or deferred sentences thus far.

The court found that he had committed his crime “based on political animosity” and had deceived the Russian people in order to make them “feel anxious and fearful” about the military operation.

When Gorinov appeared in court in northern Moscow, he held out a piece of paper with the words “Do you still need this war?” scribbled in ink. A security guard raised his hands in an effort to mask the message.

In late April, more than a month after giving a speech at a district meeting in Moscow’s Krasnoselsky neighbourhood, the opposition councillor was taken into custody.

When children were dying in Ukraine, Gorinov objected to the concept of holding a children’s drawing competition. He had also attempted to call for a moment of silence to honour the victims before the council meeting began.

A second opposition council member who agreed with him has subsequently left Russia. They two allegedly planned their conspiracy to tarnish the Russian military, according to the prosecution.

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