A Moscow court upheld the February sentence against Nobel Human Rights laureate Oleg Orlov on Thursday, maintaining his conviction for criticizing the war in Ukraine and drawing comparisons between the Russian justice system and Nazi Germany. Orlov, a prominent Russian human rights activist, co-chairs the “Memorial” law enforcement center, which the Russian government has labeled a foreign agent.
In October 2023, Orlov was found guilty under article 280.3 of the Criminal Code for discrediting the armed forces of the Russian Federation, resulting in a fine of 150,000 rubles following his article condemning the war as detrimental to Russia’s future and labeling the Kremlin leadership as “fascist.” Despite an appeal, the Moscow court confirmed a 2.5-year penal colony sentence in February 2024, which Orlov and his defense team contested.
Orlov rejected an offer to be sent to the combat zone of the so-called “SVO” (Special Military Operation) in Ukraine, despite his advanced age of 70, and chose not to cooperate with court proceedings. On Thursday, the Moscow City Court judge ruled to leave Orlov’s sentence “unchanged.”
Orlov’s lawyer, Kateryna Tertukhina, commented that Orlov had not harmed anyone or damaged property and argued that the harsh sentence was disproportionate. She emphasized that criticisms of state decisions should not be classified as extremism.
In his final statement, Orlov lamented the predetermined nature of his case, describing the Russian judicial system as subordinated to political power and likening it to the German judicial system under Nazi rule.
This case underscores ongoing actions by Russian authorities against critics of state policies. Reporters Without Borders has noted the detrimental changes to the media landscape and increasing risks faced by human rights defenders and journalists in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
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