Accusation of high treason: 22 years in prison for Russian journalists

Former journalist and military observer Safronov has been convicted of high treason by a Moscow court. He has to go to a prison camp for 22 years. The verdict caused horror among journalists and human rights activists.

The verdict had barely begun when it ended again – with a verdict that even Russian state agencies described as the harshest in recent years: 22 years in a prison camp under strict conditions for Ivan Safronov for high treason. Even after the prison sentence, his freedom should remain restricted for a further two years. There is also a fine.

In the hall of a neighboring building, in which the pronouncement of the verdict was broadcast, the judge’s verdict caused horror. Calls for freedom were heard. Even if hardly anyone believes that the appeal announced by the lawyers will be successful.

demands for evidence

Since Safronov’s arrest more than two years ago, human rights activists and journalists have been asking in vain for an explanation of what he is specifically accused of. You want proof. However, according to his lawyers, the public prosecutor’s office remained guilty even during the trial behind closed doors.

Safronov himself had protested his innocence to the end. In his closing statement before the court, he is said to have once again made it clear that he was not revealing any secrets, but reported on the basis of publicly available sources. However, even then – long before the laws were tightened – his issues were sensitive. He wrote about accidents in the Russian military and explosive arms deals.