The co-chair of a Nobel-winning rights group in Russia gets 30 months in jail for criticizing war

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By ELISE MORTON
Updated 5:20 AM CST, February 27, 2024

A Moscow court on Tuesday sentenced a veteran human rights advocate who spoke out against the war in Ukraine to two years and six months in prison.

Oleg Orlov, 70, was convicted of “repeatedly discrediting” the Russian army in an article he wrote denouncing the invasion of Ukraine. He has rejected the case against him as politically motivated, telling the court in his closing statement: “I don’t regret anything and I don’t repent anything.”

Orlov was handcuffed and taken directly into custody from the courtroom. His verdict concluded a retrial in which Orlov was earlier ordered to pay a fine. Underscoring how little tolerance President Vladimir Putin’s government has for criticism of its invasion of Ukraine, the prosecution had appealed, seeking a harsher punishment.

The prosecution claimed that Orlov, co-chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights group Memorial, published the article motivated by hostility “against traditional Russian spiritual, moral and patriotic values” and hatred of the Russian military, independent Russian news outlet Mediazona said on Tuesday.




Read more: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-orlov-nobel-sentenced-8539517d8b2c846706607584ba5f9bbb

[riversedge]

1. So sad. Putin, the war criminal is shouting with glee no doubt.

[Farmer-Rick]

2. This is what happens in dictatorships and kingdoms

They put their best and brightest in jail, work camps, religious monasteries, church conversion therapy and behind household walls. They can't have intelligent outspoken people going around discussing the injustice of failed economic and political systems.

When do you think the name of Russia will be changed to Putinia? Like Saudi.

[maxsolomon]

3. 30 months in Russian prison at 70 years old.

He'll be lucky to make it out alive.

[Marthe48]

4. My thought, too

n/t

[Aussie105]

5. motivated by hostility "against traditional Russian spiritual, moral and patriotic values"

How do you defend against that?
Way too vague!

The department of 'Wrong-Thinking' finds him lacking and sends him to jail.

The man-in-the-street on camera interviews find the average Russian very hesitant to speak, or have them choose their words carefully, for obvious reasons.