SOFIA: A Russian court has sentenced a Bulgarian-Russian dual national to three years in prison on charges of “justifying terrorism,” Bulgaria’s foreign ministry told AFP on Thursday.
The ministry has said the case shows Russia’s “systematic” actions against dissent.
Russia has detained, fined or jailed large numbers of people, including Westerners, on charges of alleged treason, terrorism, sabotage and spying, in what rights groups say is a crackdown on dissent.
Since the start of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, such trials have multiplied and have generally been accompanied by heavy sentences.
A Russian court sentenced the Bulgarian woman, who lives in Russia, on September 9 after finding her guilty of “justifying terrorism” in online posts, a ministry spokesperson said.
The accused had described Crimea as being “illegally occupied” and had expressed support for the Russian Volunteer Corps — a unit of Russian nationals fighting for Ukraine classed as a “terrorist” organization by Moscow — according to a written response this week by the ministry to parliament.
Bulgaria became aware of the case after the defendant’s sister notified the Bulgarian Embassy in Moscow in the spring.
The verdict is not final and can still be appealed.
According to the ministry, the case illustrates the Russian authorities’ “systematic and targeted actions” that are aimed at stifling freedom of expression and controlling information.
The actions result in “disproportionate” sanctions against opinions contrary to Moscow’s official line, “particularly in the context of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine,” it added.
A UN special rapporteur said in September that Russia systematically restricts freedom of expression and other rights as it seeks “to crush civic space... eliminate political opposition, suppress culture (and) distort historical truth.”