Russian Civil Rights Activist Gets Suspended Prison Sentence

Mark Galperin

A Russian civil rights activist who was put on trial for posting online videos deemed by authorities as "extremist" has received a suspended two-year prison sentence.

Moscow's Nagatino District Court on March 7 also barred activist Mark Galperin from running public or nongovernmental organizations for the next two years.

Galperin's lawyer, Aleksei Liptser, said the court's decision will be appealed.

Galperin was placed under house arrest in June after he was charged with making public calls for extremist actions.

The charge was linked to online videos in which Galperin criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin's government.

In 2016, Galperin narrowly avoided prosecution for violating a controversial 2014 law criminalizing participation in more than one unsanctioned protest within 180 consecutive days.

Dadin's plight attracted additional attention in 2016 when he alleged that he and other inmates were tortured and abused at a prison in Russia's northwestern region of Karelia.

Based on reporting by TASS and Rapsinews