Sergei Udaltsov was convicted of justifying terrorism and sentenced to six years in a maximum-security penal colony after an article supporting activists accused of forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov called the verdict 'shameful' and announced a hunger strike. The case comes amid a wider Kremlin-led crackdown on dissent following the invasion of Ukraine.
Russian Court Sentences Opposition Figure Sergei Udaltsov To Six Years In Maximum-Security Colony
FILE - Sergei Udaltsov, a political activist, stands behind glass in a cage in a courtroom prior to a session in Moscow, Russia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov, File)
A Russian court on Thursday convicted Sergei Udaltsov — a long-time opposition figure who has both criticized President Vladimir Putin and expressed pro-war views — of "justifying terrorism" and sentenced him to six years in prison, the independent outlet Mediazona reports.
The charges stem from an article Udaltsov published online expressing support for another group of Russian activists who were accused of forming a terrorist organization; those activists were convicted earlier in the month and handed prison terms ranging from 16 to 22 years. Udaltsov has rejected the accusations as fabricated.
The court ruling specifies that Udaltsov will serve his sentence in a maximum-security penal colony. After the verdict he denounced the decision as 'shameful' and announced he would begin a hunger strike, according to Mediazona.
Background
Udaltsov rose to prominence during the mass protests of 2011–12, which followed allegations of large-scale falsification of parliamentary election results. In February 2012 he was among the opposition figures who met then-President Dmitry Medvedev. He was jailed in 2014 and sentenced to four-and-a-half years for his role in organizing a turbulent 2012 demonstration; he was released in 2017.
In December 2023, a Moscow court ordered Udaltsov to perform 40 hours of compulsory community labor for procedural violations tied to organizing a rally after he was detained on Red Square for attempting to unfurl a flag bearing the image of Soviet leader Josef Stalin, Russian state agency TASS reported.
Broader Context
The conviction comes amid an intensified crackdown on dissent in Russia since the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine. Authorities have steadily targeted rights groups, independent media, civil-society activists, LGBTQ+ activists, and some religious organizations; hundreds have been jailed and thousands have left the country.
Sources: Mediazona; TASS (state news agency).
