Sergei Mikhailov, the publisher of the independent newspaper Listok in Russia's Altai Republic, was sentenced to eight years in prison on Aug. 30 for "spreading fakes" about the Russian Army.
The charges relate to stories that Listok published about the Bucha massacre, where Russian soldiers murdered hundreds of Ukrainian civilians, as well as other Russian war crimes committed in Ukraine.
In his defense, Mikhailov said that he was not in a position to make editorial decisions about what stories were posted on Listok's website or social media accounts.
Mikhailov was first detained in April 2022, shortly after the beginning of the full-scale invasion. His trial began in June 2023.
In a final statement before his sentencing, Mikhailov said, "I categorically disagree with the accusation. All these years I have been writing what I consider to be the truth, even if this truth is bitter."
"The purpose of our publications is to reveal the truth to my fellow countrymen, to protect them from the lies of state propaganda. The fog of lies is becoming thicker, and I do not want our readers to be tempted by these lies and to voluntarily become participants in military actions, to become murderers."
Beyond the prison sentence, the court asked that Mikhailov be banned from working in journalism for four years.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's crackdown on dissent since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine has seen thousands of his citizens arrested and many jailed.
In 2023, at least 21,000 people were targeted by Russia's "repressive laws" used to "crack down" on anti-war activists," according to Amnesty International.
Nate Ostiller
