Former journalist Ivan Safronov sentenced by a Russian court to 22 years in prison for treason, after prosecutors claimed he disclosed state secrets. The ruling was condemned by his supporters who said it was a harsh punishment that showed the absence of media freedom in Russia.
Safronov, a former defence reporter for the Kommersant and Vedomosti newspapers turned adviser to the head of Russia’s space agency, was arrested in 2020 on charges of revealing classified information.
Safronov’s lawyers said they would appeal the decision. His supporters say the case is revenge for his reporting which exposed details of Russia’s international arms deals.
News agency Reuters reported that Safronov’s lawyer Dmitry Katchev said he was almost lost for words at the ruling.
“Safronov was given 22 years for his journalistic activity. I want each of you, who are looking at me now, to think whether it is worth staying in this profession. If somebody was given 22 years for doing his job,” he asked reporters.
Human rights lawyer Pavel Chikov said the sentence was a “savage, demonstratively cruel punishment, corresponding to the current state of Russia.”
Chikov insisted that there weren’t any examples of any treason cases leading to such a lengthy sentence, let alone against a journalist.
State prosecutors claimed Safronov shared details about Russia’s arms sales in the Middle East with the Czech Republic’s foreign intelligence arm. The journalist has denied all charges. He also rejected a plea deal that would have seen him serve a 12-year prison term.
Safronov’s detention in July 2020 sparked outcry from Russian journalists, including at state-run outlets. The European Union had asked Russia to release him unconditionally and drop all charges.
