Russian Court Jails Opposition Politician Lev Shlosberg for 11 Years Over Anti-War Posts

A regional court in Russia's Pskov region has sentenced veteran opposition politician Lev Shlosberg to 11 years and one month in prison, marking one of the harshest penalties yet handed down under the country's wartime censorship laws. The sentence, delivered Monday, combines penalties for "discrediting" and spreading what prosecutors described as "fake news" about the Russian military.

Shlosberg, a senior figure in Russia's liberal Yabloko party, pleaded not guilty throughout the proceedings, arguing instead that prosecutors were themselves violating Russian law by pursuing the case. In his final statement to the court, he described himself as a man unlawfully deprived of his liberty both before and after the verdict. State prosecutors had originally sought an even longer term of 12 years and one month.

The Charges

The "fake news" charge traces back to a Telegram post from February 25, 2022, just after Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, in which Shlosberg reshared content from the now-shuttered independent radio station Ekho Moskvy, including an image critical of the war. He has argued the post predated the formal introduction of Russia's wartime censorship statutes. A separate "discrediting" charge stems from a January 2025 public debate in which prosecutors allege he called for a ceasefire in Ukraine; Shlosberg has denied publishing footage of the debate and says the statements in question were made by his debate opponent, not him.

The new sentence also folds in an earlier, lesser conviction from November 2025, when Shlosberg was ordered to complete 420 hours of community service for violating Russia's "foreign agent" registration law.

Procedural Concerns

Independent Russian media outlets that covered the trial reported a series of unusual procedural moves by the court. According to reporting cited by exiled outlets, the presiding judge in Pskov declined to question Shlosberg directly during parts of the trial, instead relying on transcripts from earlier hearings. Separately, after Shlosberg's three defense lawyers missed court dates due to illness and scheduling conflicts, the judge appointed a state-assigned lawyer over the defense's objections.

Timing Tied to Elections

The sentencing arrived on the same day that Russia's Supreme Court rejected a separate appeal from Yabloko contesting the cancellation of the party's federal candidate list for next month's State Duma elections, scheduled for September 18-20. Yabloko is widely regarded as the only officially registered Russian political party that has openly opposed the war in Ukraine, and the near-simultaneous rulings have drawn attention from human rights observers who see the moves as part of a broader effort to sideline anti-war voices ahead of the vote.

Broader Context

Shlosberg's case is one of a growing number of prosecutions targeting Russians who have publicly criticized the invasion of Ukraine since 2022. Rights groups have documented a steady rise in convictions under the country's discrediting and fake-news statutes, with sentences lengthening over time as authorities move to suppress dissent ahead of major political events. His supporters have vowed to continue highlighting his case as an example of the shrinking space for political opposition inside Russia.

This article is an original editorial summary based on publicly reported information. It has been independently written for publication and does not reproduce content from any single source.