Russian Court Sentences Activist to Four Years in Prison

Expand People rally next to the Tverskoi district court building in Moscow during Konstantin Kotov's verdict hearing, chanting "Freedom to Kotov!" and "Freedom to political prisoners!" on September 5, 2019. © 2019 Tanya Lokshina/Human Rights Watch Today, I stood in a Moscow court as it sentenced Konstantin Kotov, a 34-year old software engineer, to four years in prison. His crime? Kotov dared to take part in several peaceful but unsanctioned protests this spring and summer. Since 2014, Russian law mandates criminal sanctions for participating in more than two unauthorized public gatherings…

© Human Rights Watch - jeudi 5 septembre 2019