A Moscow court sentenced former municipal lawmaker Anastasia Bryukhanova in absentia to eight years in prison on November 19 on charges of spreading "fake news" about the Russian military. The court also imposed a four-year ban on Bryukhanova’s use of social media. The case was initiated in April 2023 over a video posted on the Obyektiv YouTube channel in December 2022 that discussed alleged civilian killings by invading Russian troops in the Ukrainian city of Bucha. Bryukhanova, currently outside Russia, called the prosecution illegal and described her video as a near-verbatim repetition of a New York Times investigation. Her written statement was read in court by her defense lawyer. Bryukhanova's sentencing underscores the ongoing crackdown on dissent and independent reporting in Russia amid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. To read the original story by Current Time, click here.
Ex-Moscow Lawmaker Sentenced In Absentia To 8 Years In Prison
Anastasia Bryukhanova (file photo).