INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
A Russian court on Wednesday sentenced a journalist to seven years in prison for criticizing the Ukraine offensive in social media
posts.Roman Ivanov, 51, was found guilty of spreading "false information" about Russia's Armed Forces and punished under Moscow's strict
military censorship laws.Moscow has used laws against "discrediting" the Armed Forces or publishing "false information" to stamp out public
criticism of its full-scale military offensive on Ukraine."Peace and freedom," Ivanov shouted as he left the courtroom after the
You are not alone," his applauding supporters shouted, AFP journalists at the courtroom saw.In social media posts published in 2022 on the
Telegram and VKontake social media sites, Ivanov criticized Russia's military offensive in Ukraine and its actions in the Ukrainian city of
Bucha.He was arrested last year and pleaded not guilty in court.In a final statement at a previous hearing he said: "Journalism no longer
exists in Russia.""We must ask ourselves why we are sowing suffering and unhappiness all around us, why our country has turned into an
avalanche of suffering and unhappiness," he added.Ivanov used to work for a local state-run TV channel but was fired in 2021 after reporting
on alleged corruption, electoral fraud and ecological problems in Korolyov, a town northeast of Moscow.Ivanov's wife, Maria Nekrasova, said
Wednesday he had proved that his posts "contained no false information" and that he had "no motive for political hatred."She said they plan
to appeal the ruling.Speaking outside the court after the verdict, Ivanov's family said they believed the case against him had been ordered
by local authorities as retribution for his reporting."What's in front of him has been completely fabricated," his mother, Alla Ivanova,
said."I will continue to fight," she added, speaking through tears."I love my son and I'm proud of him
I'm proud that he fought for people, helped people."
