Kremlin critic Ilya Yashin sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for spreading 'false information' - CNN

CNN  — 

A Moscow tribunal connected Friday sentenced Kremlin professional Ilya Yashin to 8 years and six months imprisonment, according to Russian authorities media RIA Novosti, successful a stroke to what’s near of the country’s opposition.

It is unclear if Yashin’s situation condemnation for spreading “false information” astir the Russian service includes the clip helium has already spent successful jailhouse during tribunal hearings.

Russian investigators accidental his statements astir the circumstances of the killings successful Bucha are a transgression discourtesy nether precocious introduced legislation, which considers discrediting the Russian equipped forces to beryllium illegal.

Yashin slammed the “authors” of the “hysterical verdict” successful a station connected his authoritative Telegram account.

“The authors of the verdict are optimistic astir Putin’s prospects. In my opinion, they are excessively optimistic,” helium said.

“But we besides person nary crushed to beryllium sad, due to the fact that we person won this trial, friends. The process started arsenic a denunciation of maine arsenic “people’s doctor,” but turned into an anti-war tribune. We spoke the information astir warfare crimes and called for an extremity to the bloodshed. And successful response, they heard a hodgepodge of slogans from the Cold War, which was confusedly voiced by the prosecutor,” Yashin continued.

“With this hysterical verdict, the authorities wants to intimidate america all, but successful fact, it lone shows its weakness. Strong leaders are calm and self-confident, and lone weaklings question to unopen everyone up, pain retired immoderate dissent. So contiguous it lone remains for maine to repetition what was said connected the time of my arrest: I americium not afraid, and you should not be,” the station read.

In closing remarks to the tribunal connected Monday, up of the verdict, Yashin made a connection addressing the judge, President Vladimir Putin and the Russian public. “As if they volition sew my rima unopen and I would beryllium forbidden to talk forever. Everyone understands that this is the point,” helium said.

“I americium isolated from nine due to the fact that they privation maine to beryllium silent. I committedness arsenic agelong arsenic I’m live I’ll ne'er volition be. My ngo is to archer the truth. I volition not springiness up the information adjacent down bars. After all, quoting the classic: ‘Lie is the religion of slaves.’”

Yashin, besides a adjacent state of Russian absorption person Alexey Navalny, came to prominence during protests helium helped signifier betwixt 2011 and 2012 against Putin’s re-election for a 3rd term.

Yashin remained a fierce Putin professional for years to come, besides serving arsenic a municipal lawman successful a tiny Moscow municipality earlier being barred from moving for nationalist bureau again.

In June, helium was sentenced to 15 days down bars for being disobedient to police, charges helium described astatine the clip arsenic portion of a unit run by the authorities to unit him to permission Russia.

Navalny criticized Yashin’s imprisonment connected Friday. “Another shameless and lawless Putin verdict volition not soundlessness Ilya and should not intimidate the honorable radical of Russia,” helium said successful a connection posted connected his societal media accounts.

“This is different crushed wherefore we indispensable fight, and I person nary uncertainty that we volition triumph successful the end.”

Navalny said successful the connection Yashin was his “first friend” helium made successful authorities and knew him since the property of 18. “Knowing Yashin for truthful long, I won’t adjacent effort to constitute thing like: “Hold on, Ilya.” And truthful I cognize that helium did everything close and volition endure everything,” helium said.

Navalny concluded by saying that helium is arrogant of Yashin and that helium and Russia volition beryllium free.

Russian investigative writer Andrei Soldatov, who is connected Russia’s wanted database and lives successful exile successful London, told CNN Yashin was “an highly brave person” who “chose to stay successful Russia and to talk against the war.”

He added helium believed Yashin was a awesome of Russian absorption against the war.