This is how Putin gets rid of inconvenient journalists. Ivan Safronov was sentenced to 22 years in a high security colony

A three-judge panel headed by Dmitry Kordaev announced the verdict without giving any reasons due to the “confidentiality” of the case and only the sentence imposed. In addition to the actual sentence, Safronov was fined 500,000. Ruble and restriction of freedom for two years.

Earlier, the prosecutor’s office in the trial demanded that the accused be sentenced to 24 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of 500,000. A fine of roubles, freedom and confiscation of “criminally acquired” property for two years of restriction. According to prosecutor Evgeny Smirnov, during the break, the prosecutor offered Safronov to plead guilty in exchange for a 12-year prison sentence, but he refused.

Ivan Safronov has been detained in Lefortovo since July 2020. The journalist is accused of passing data to Czech intelligence: According to law enforcement, it allegedly provided information about military-technical cooperation, Russian defense and security. In this case there was a later chapter relating to Syria. The FSB refused to divulge even the details of the allegations until the investigation is complete.

In August, the website Projekt became familiar with the indictment in the Safronov case. The prosecution never found the murder weapon, found witnesses or established a motive, and all the “secret” information is in the public domain.