Russian opponent Ilya Yashin during hearings in Moscow

(Reuters) – Russian opposition politician Ilya Yashin was sentenced on Friday to eight and a half years in prison on charges of spreading “false information” about the army.

Yashin, 39, was on trial over a YouTube video published in April in which he discussed evidence of Russian atrocities unearthed by Western journalists in Bucha near Kyiv and questioned Moscow’s official story that such reports were fabricated as a “provocation” against Russia. .

Since the February 24 invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has stepped up its crackdown on public dissent, with the most prominent opposition figures either in prison or in exile.

Days after the invasion, a law was passed providing for up to 15 years in prison for those who spread “false information” about the military.

In a defiant post on his Telegram channel, Yashin urged his supporters to continue to oppose the war in Ukraine.

“The authorities want to intimidate us with this hysterical verdict, but in reality it just shows their weakness. Strong leaders are calm and confident. Only the weak try to shut everyone up and burn out any dissent,” he wrote.

President Vladimir Putin, who was asked about the case during a press conference, said it was unacceptable to challenge the court’s decision.

(Reporting by Mark Trevelyan and Jake Cordell)

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