Russian journalist Alexander Nevzorov sentenced in absentia to eight years behind bars over charges of spreading ‘fake news’ about Russian army

Moscow’s Basmanny District Court has sentenced in absentia Russian journalist Alexander Nevzorov to eight years of imprisonment in a general regime colony over charges of spreading “fake news” about the Russian army, Russia’s news agency Interfax reports.

Furthermore, the court has banned Nevzorov from administering internet resources for four years. The sentence will begin at the moment of his detention on the territory of Russia or the moment of extradition. 

Yesterday, 31 January, state prosecution requested to sentence the journalist to nine years in a colony. 

On 22 March 2022, a criminal case on public spreading of “fake news” about Russia’s Armed Forces was initiated against Nevzorov.

According to the prosecution, the journalist posted “knowingly false information about a premeditated shelling of a maternity hospital in the city of Mariupol by Russia’s Armed Forces” on 9 March 2022 on his Instagram page and on 19 March on a YouTube channel. 

Nevzorov is currently not in Russia. He was arrested in absentia on 6 May 2022. In April, Russia’s Justice Ministry added Nevzorov to the list of “foreign agents”.