Record penalty for Russian activists: 22 years for help to refugees

Record penalty for Russian activists: 22 years for help to refugees

Unusual news from Russia: A 30-year-old woman, known as Nadejda Rossinskaïa or Nadine Geisler, was sentenced to a record sentence of 22 years in Belgorod on June 20, 2024. This punishment is seen as the heaviest in the more recent history of Russia that a woman was put up with for a non -violent crime. As Le Monde reported, Rossinskaïa was guilty of "high treason" and her support for Ukrainian refugees who were evacuated by the Russian army.

The indictment provided for serious allegations against Rossinskaïa. She was convicted of "public views on terrorist activities" and "aid for terrorist activities" after apparently supporting around 100 Ukrainians in fleeing. The judge Oleg Chichov also made a fine of 320,000 rubles, which corresponds to around 3,500 euros. The public prosecutor had originally requested an even harder punishment of 27 years.

background of the arrest

Rossinskaïa was previously in exile in Georgia for several months because it was persecuted by the Russian security services. As a result of the large -scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, she and her half -sister Elena Egorova founded the so -called "Army of Beautiful", a volunteer movement for humanitarian aid for Ukrainians. As the Amnesty report from 2023 shows, their actions have taken place in an increasingly repressive climate, where every form of criticism of state bodies is massively suppressed and the dangers for activists are increasing. Class = "Source_3"> Amnesty International documented that at least 140 people were convicted in 2023 because they were critical of the military invasion.

In Russia, everything is still rigoros against everything that could even be seen as a threat to the state order. Critics who raise their voice against the invasion face a variety of allegations, including "extremism" and "justification for terrorism". In a further case that causes a stir, a 30-year-old man in Feodossija was arrested by the security authorities for "high treason". He is accused of sending information about Russian military ships and members of the army to the Ukrainian army via a Telegram channel, which further heated up the tensions.

The consequences for activists

The punished punishments are not only affected by individuals. A climate of fear and intimidation rules on social media and reporting. Activities and statements are strictly monitored, and new laws declare media houses and individuals as "foreign agents", which has a direct impact on the freedom of expression. For example, US journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested under questionable espionage allegations, and his procedure is still pending. This is just another example of repression against upright votes in Russia, especially in times of war.

This reporting impressively shows that peaceful activists who work for humanitarian concerns are also not immune to serious consequences in Russia. The cases of Rossinskaïa and other lessons from the current event illustrate the dangerous situation for everyone who is committed to human rights or face the official narration.