Russian Court Jails Anti-War Politician Lev Shlosberg For 11 Years
A court in Pskov jailed Kremlin critic and Yabloko deputy chairman Lev Shlosberg for 11 years and one month on charges of "discrediting" and spreading "false information" about the Russian military.[1]
Prosecutors said the charges stemmed from remarks Shlosberg made in a public debate calling for an end to the war in Ukraine.[1] They also cited his posting of a British tabloid front page that linked President Vladimir Putin to civilian bloodshed.[1] Shlosberg, 63, has been held in pretrial detention since December 2025 and has been labeled a "foreign agent" by the state.[1]
On August 17, 2026, the Russian Supreme Court rejected Yabloko's appeal and upheld a decision to remove the anti-war party from the Sept. 18-20, 2026 State Duma election ballot.[1] Yabloko called Shlosberg's prison term a "barbaric sentence" for calls for a ceasefire, and Amnesty International demanded his immediate and unconditional release.[1]
Human rights groups and opposition figures say the verdict removes a prominent anti-war voice ahead of the Duma vote and signals a continuing crackdown on dissent inside Russia.
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📌 Key Facts
- On Monday, August 17, 2026, a court in Pskov convicted Lev Shlosberg of "discrediting" and spreading "false information" about the Russian military and sentenced him to 11 years and one month in prison.
- The charges stem from a debate in which Shlosberg called for ending the war in Ukraine and from his posting of a British tabloid front page linking Vladimir Putin to civilian bloodshed.
- Shlosberg, age 63, is deputy chairman of the Yabloko party, has been labeled a "foreign agent," and has been held in pretrial detention since December 2025.
- Also on August 17, 2026, the Russian Supreme Court rejected Yabloko's appeal and upheld its decision to remove the anti-war party from the Sept. 18-20, 2026 State Duma election ballot.
- Yabloko described the prison term as a "barbaric sentence" for calls for a ceasefire, and Amnesty International called for Shlosberg's immediate and unconditional release.
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