Russian court jails anti-war activists for up to 12 years

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MOSCOW: A St. Petersburg court has sentenced six members of the Russian opposition movement Vesna to prison terms ranging from six to 12 years. The harshest sentence of 12 years was given to Anna Arkhipova, while other activists received between six and 11 years. One defendant, Valentin Khoroshenin, pleaded guilty and testified against his colleagues; he received six years and two months.

The case centered on social media posts including anti-war announcements published by the movement. Prosecutors argued the content was posted with the ‘silent consent’ of all members.

Vesna, founded in 2013 and later designated an ‘extremist organization,’ became a prominent anti-war voice following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Most of the 21 people originally named in the ‘big Vesna case’ have fled Russia, but those remaining face these severe penalties for their activism and dissent.