On May 17, a court in the capital of the aggressor country of the Russian Federation, Moscow, sentenced activist Mykhailo Kriger to seven years in prison. He was accused of justifying terrorism and inciting hatred through posts on Facebook, the BBC Russian Service reported.
The court also prohibited Krieger from administering the sites for a period of four years.
The reason for the trial was Krieger's Facebook post about Mykhailo Zhlobytsky, who set off an explosion in the FSB headquarters in Arkhangelsk, and Yevhen Manyurov, who opened fire near the FSB building in Lubyanka. In January, Krieger was charged with inciting hatred or enmity with the threat of violence. The reason for this accusation was a comment by Krieger under one of the Facebook posts from 2020. It said that Krieger does not hide his hatred for the regime, "the Chekists who installed it, and personally for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin."
The activist pleaded not guilty. In his last words, he stated that he considered the charges for the posts on the social network a formal pretext. According to the activist, he is actually being persecuted for his anti-war and pro-Ukrainian position. He stated that in Russia's war against Ukraine, the truth is one hundred percent present on one side - the Ukrainian side.
In his speech, he confirmed that he has a negative attitude towards President Putin and the FSB. Krieger noted that if he ever retracts his words, it means that he or his loved ones are in danger. At the end of his last speech, he wished Ukraine victory in the war in Ukrainian.
The judge interrupted Krieger's last word several times with comments that he was not at the rally.
The activist also said that he dreams of living to see "Putin's hanging", Mediazona wrote.
After the conclusion of the preliminary court session on May 16, Kriger performed the patriotic Ukrainian song "Oh, in the meadow is a red viburnum", reported "Segodn".
