TALLINN, Estonia — Alexei Gorinov, a prominent critic of the Kremlin, received an additional three-year prison sentence on Friday for his opposition to Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine. His trial, which lasted a mere three days, highlighted Moscow’s growing intolerance towards dissenting opinions. Gorinov, a 63-year-old former member of the Moscow municipal council, is already serving a seven-year sentence related to his outspoken criticism of the military invasion.
In light of the latest conviction, the court in the Vladimir region has mandated that Gorinov serve a total of five years in a high-security facility, which imposes stricter conditions than his current location. According to reports from the independent news outlet Mediazona, his attorney indicated that this ruling could extend his imprisonment by an additional year compared to his previous sentence.
Gorinov received his first conviction in July 2022, where a Moscow court sentenced him to seven years for “spreading false information” regarding the Russian military during a municipal meeting. His case arose from comments he made regarding a children’s art contest, expressing concern over the ongoing violence in Ukraine by stating, “every day children are dying.” This case marked him as the first known Russian citizen imprisoned under a law enacted in 2022 aimed at suppressing any public discourse that contradicts official statements about the war.
His case has raised alarm among various observers. In a written statement from prison in March 2023, Gorinov mentioned that the authorities were in need of showcasing an example of an “ordinary person” rather than a public figure for the population. Last year, the authorities initiated another case against him, claiming he had justified terrorism in discussions with fellow inmates about Ukraine’s Azov battalion, an organization dubbed as terrorist by Russia, as well as regarding the 2022 Crimean bridge explosion, which the Kremlin labeled an act of terrorism.
Vehemently denying the charges during Wednesday’s trial, Gorinov insisted that he simply stated the annexed Crimean Peninsula rightfully belonged to Ukraine and characterized the Azov battalion as part of the Ukrainian army. His trial commenced in the Vladimir region, where he is presently incarcerated due to his earlier conviction. Photos from the court shared by Mediazona depicted a weary Gorinov in the defendant’s cage, with a hand-drawn peace symbol over his prison badge. He also displayed a handwritten sign reading, “Stop killing. Let’s stop the war.”
Gorinov’s health has deteriorated, especially since he had part of his lung removed prior to incarceration, and he faces ongoing respiratory issues while imprisoned. In his closing remarks during Friday’s hearing, he remained unyielding in his criticism of the Russian government regarding the war in Ukraine.
“My fault is that as a citizen of my country, I allowed this war to transpire and was unable to halt it,” he stated, as reported by Mediazona. “But I wish for my guilt and responsibility to be shared with those who organized, supported, or participated in the war, as well as with those who silence advocates for peace. I live with the hope that such accountability will arrive one day. Until then, I ask for forgiveness from both those in Ukraine and my fellow citizens impacted by the war,” Gorinov asserted.
According to OVD-Info, a well-known human rights organization that monitors political arrests, approximately 1,100 individuals have found themselves embroiled in criminal proceedings due to their anti-war sentiments since February 2022. Presently, around 340 of these individuals remain imprisoned or have been forcibly placed into medical facilities.