**Russian opposition figure Ilya Yashin was sentenced on December 9, 2022, to eight and a half years in a prison colony for criticizing the war against Ukraine. He sent ‘Le Monde’ this text, which he read out at his appeal trial in Moscow, on Wednesday, April 19, where his sentence was confirmed.**
Dear judges, dear public,
On December 9, 2022, I was convicted under the military censorship law. This law is legally insignificant and contradicts the Constitution. De facto, it introduces a ban on expressing disagreement against the official position on the war launched by President Putin against Ukraine. A war that a United Nations resolution officially recognizes as an act of criminal aggression against an independent state.
The sentence I received is mind-boggling: eight and a half years in prison for a 20-minute speech on the internet. In prison, I have met many murderers, rapists, and robbers who received lighter sentences for their crimes. I want to emphasize that these are real crimes, not words.
What is my offense? It is that, by honestly doing my duty as a Russian man and a patriot, I told the truth about this war. And, in particular, I spoke about the war crimes committed by Putin’s troops in the Ukrainian city of Bucha.
I have been behind bars for a year now. Many important things have happened during this time.
First, thorough investigations were conducted into what happened in Bucha during the occupation. After the withdrawal of Russian troops, investigators, journalists and human rights activists from all over the world worked in the city. Many graves and mass graves of civilians were discovered. Satellite images, drone videos, messages and street surveillance cameras helped to reconstruct the last moments of the lives of dozens of ordinary citizens shot by the soldiers. Some of those killed had their hands tied behind their backs, meaning they were executed.
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**Russian opposition figure Ilya Yashin was sentenced on December 9, 2022, to eight and a half years in a prison colony for criticizing the war against Ukraine. He sent ‘Le Monde’ this text, which he read out at his appeal trial in Moscow, on Wednesday, April 19, where his sentence was confirmed.**
Dear judges, dear public,
On December 9, 2022, I was convicted under the military censorship law. This law is legally insignificant and contradicts the Constitution. De facto, it introduces a ban on expressing disagreement against the official position on the war launched by President Putin against Ukraine. A war that a United Nations resolution officially recognizes as an act of criminal aggression against an independent state.
The sentence I received is mind-boggling: eight and a half years in prison for a 20-minute speech on the internet. In prison, I have met many murderers, rapists, and robbers who received lighter sentences for their crimes. I want to emphasize that these are real crimes, not words.
What is my offense? It is that, by honestly doing my duty as a Russian man and a patriot, I told the truth about this war. And, in particular, I spoke about the war crimes committed by Putin’s troops in the Ukrainian city of Bucha.
I have been behind bars for a year now. Many important things have happened during this time.
First, thorough investigations were conducted into what happened in Bucha during the occupation. After the withdrawal of Russian troops, investigators, journalists and human rights activists from all over the world worked in the city. Many graves and mass graves of civilians were discovered. Satellite images, drone videos, messages and street surveillance cameras helped to reconstruct the last moments of the lives of dozens of ordinary citizens shot by the soldiers. Some of those killed had their hands tied behind their backs, meaning they were executed.
**Read Yashin’s full speech here:** [**https://www.lemonde.fr/en/opinion/article/2023/04/19/ilya-yashin-russian-opposition-figure-it-is-quite-possible-that-putin-will-be-replacing-me-in-prison_6023497_23.html**](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/opinion/article/2023/04/19/ilya-yashin-russian-opposition-figure-it-is-quite-possible-that-putin-will-be-replacing-me-in-prison_6023497_23.html)
Extremely unlikely
Dictators like Putler don’t end up in prison. They end up dead.
These are the real Russians. Not cowards like Putin.