A Russian military court sentenced Soviet-era dissident Alexander Skobov to 16 years in prison on charges of validating terrorism and belonging to a terrorist company, the exiled news outlet Mediazona reported Friday.Skobov, 67, was jailed in April on allegations that he justified an attack on the Russian-built Crimea Bridge in an online post and belonged to the Lithuania-based liberal opposition platform Free Russia Forum, which Russian authorities have banned as undesirable.A military court inSt.
Petersburg founded guilty Skobov on both charges and sentenced him to serve his time in a maximum-security prison.Prosecutors had actually requested an 18-year sentence for Skobov, whose health had deteriorated substantially throughout pre-trial detention.In a bold last declaration in court, Skobov condemned both Russian and U.S.
leaders as predators taken part in an imperialist conspiracy in Ukraine.Death to the Russian fascist intruders! Death to Putin, the brand-new Hitler, the killer and scoundrel! Magnificence to Ukraine! Mediazona quoted Skobov as saying.Im the one blaming you here.
I accuse Putins ruling inner circle, which stinks of remains, of preparing, letting loose and waging an aggressive war, Skobov added.Russias Justice Ministry designated Skobov as a foreign representative in March 2024.
He is amongst the few outspoken critics of Russias full-blown invasion of Ukraine to remain inside the nation regardless of the threat of facing criminal charges under wartime censorship laws.A dissident since the late 1970s, Skobov was convicted two times and subjected to punitive psychiatric treatment for anti-Soviet propaganda.