Russian court upholds opposition politician Lev Shlosberg's 11-year sentence on appeal
The Pskov Regional Court on 12 November upheld the sentence of Lev Shlosberg, deputy chair of the Yabloko party, who was jailed in August for 11 years and one month on charges of repeatedly 'discrediting' the army and spreading 'false information' about the military. The cases grew out of a recorded debate in which he argued the war on Ukraine should end as soon as possible, and a Telegram repost of a newspaper front page. Shlosberg spoke for nine hours in his own defence at the appeal and asked for the verdict to be overturned.
Key points
- The Pskov Regional Court on 12 November upheld Lev Shlosberg's sentence of 11 years and one month in a penal colony.
- The charges rest on a recorded debate arguing for the war to end and a Telegram repost of a Daily Mirror front page.
- Shlosberg defended himself for nine hours at the appeal and asked for the verdict to be overturned; Amnesty International called the sentence outrageous.
What happened
Shlosberg is deputy chair of Yabloko, which Amnesty International describes as the only party in Russia standing on an anti-war platform. He was sentenced at first instance on 17 August, in a verdict his party called barbaric at the time.
Amnesty says at least seven other Yabloko members, including another deputy chair, Maksim Kruglov, are serving prison sentences or are held in pre-trial detention, as prosecutions of the party's members have increased through 2026.
What we know / what we don't know yet
What we know
- That the appeal court upheld the 11-year-and-one-month sentence on 12 November, on Mediazona's reporting, confirmed by Amnesty International and OVD-Info.
- That the two cases rest on the Odnoklassniki debate recording and the Telegram repost of the Daily Mirror front page.
What we don't know yet
- Whether Shlosberg's lawyers will take the case to cassation or to an international body — no next step was reported after the ruling.
- When he will be transferred from the pretrial detention centre to a penal colony — not stated in the reporting read.
Claim by claim
Show all claims (5)
Why this label: Mediazona reported the appeal ruling and Meduza carried it; Amnesty International's statement on the decision and OVD-Info's report confirm the court, the date and the sentence in the same terms.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: The basis of both cases is reported by Meduza from Mediazona's coverage; the repost date of 25 February 2022 is given by OVD-Info. The charges are the courts' findings under Russia's wartime censorship laws, carried here as such.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: Reported by Meduza from Mediazona's coverage of the hearing, and in the same terms by OVD-Info.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: Shlosberg's own words in court, as reported by Meduza — his statement is verified as his; it is carried as his position, not as a finding.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: Amnesty International's own statement, published on 12–13 November; its characterisation of the case is carried as the organisation's position.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why it matters
The upheld sentence confirms that, under Russia's wartime censorship laws, a senior politician of a legal opposition party can spend more than a decade in a penal colony for a debate recording and a repost. With the appeal gone, the verdict now stands as the working rule for what may be said about the war inside Russia.
Update history
No silent edits. Every change is written here, with its time.
- Latest
Published — the appeal ruling and the sentence are confirmed by Mediazona's reporting and by Amnesty International's statement.