In Russia, Ilia Iachine, one of the last great opponents of the Kremlin, faces nine years in prison. This is the sentence required this Monday, December 5 by the prosecution in Moscow. This long-time critic of Vladimir Putin is on trial for denouncing the invasion of Ukraine.
It’s almost the maximum sentence. But is this a surprise for Ilia Iachine? The opponent is accused of having spread “false information” discrediting the Russian army in full invasion of Ukrainian territory, with moreover “incitement to hatred”. A crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison under the Penal Code introduced shortly after the start of the special military operation.
Yashin had not only criticized the reason for this war, the name of which cannot be said in Moscow, he had denounced the murder of civilians in Boucha near kyiv live on YouTube. The symbol of the atrocities of which the Russian army is accused in Ukraine. What Moscow still denies en bloc.
Far from being silent since her arrest last June, Ilia Iachine continues her fight through her trial which began on November 23. In the middle of the hearing, he called his judges “ servants of power, just good at giving Vladimir Putin a “ feeling of impunity “.
Close to the former opponent Boris Nemtsov murdered in 2015Ilia Iachine is also of Alexeï Navalny, sentenced in 2021 for embezzlement and who is currently serving 9 years in prison, which is exactly the sentence required against Iachine.
► Read also Trial of Russian opponent Ilia Iachine: “A case to silence him”