Putin critic Skobov gets 16 years, sparks human rights outcry
Aleksandr Skobov, a well-known dissident and critic of Vladimir Putin, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for "terrorism." The sentence has sparked outrage among human rights defenders.
What you need to know
- A court in St. Petersburg sentenced Aleksandr Skobov to 16 years in prison for "justifying terrorism" and "participating in a terrorist organization."
- The prosecution demanded 18 years of imprisonment.
- Skobov was declared a "foreign agent" and arrested a year ago for collaborating with the opposition Free Russia Forum.
Aleksandr Skobov, a dissident known since Soviet times, was sentenced on Friday by a court in St. Petersburg to 16 years in prison. The 67-year-old was also fined 300,000 rubles (almost $3,300). The sentence pertains to "justifying terrorism" and "participating in a terrorist organization."
The prosecution demanded an 18-year sentence for this critic of Putin, who opposes the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
67-year-old Putin critic sentenced
The court's decision has caused outrage among human rights defenders. Skobov, who in the 1970s was subjected to forced psychiatric treatment for "anti-Soviet agitation," is now considered a "foreign agent" by the Russian Ministry of Justice. "The state is killing a dissident for words," emphasizes Novaya Gazeta Europe, pointing to the repressive actions of authorities against critics of the regime.
Skobov was arrested a year ago due to his collaboration with the opposition Free Russia Forum and a post about the explosion on the Crimean Bridge. His health has deteriorated in custody, which, combined with his age, means the sentence could be tantamount to life imprisonment for him.
Novaya Gazeta Europe concludes that, given the dissident’s age and health issues, the sentence issued on Friday effectively amounts to a life term.
