Sergei Mikhailov is a journalist and publisher of the independent newspaper Listok in Russia's Altai Republic.
On August 30, he was sentenced to eight years in prison for allegedly "spreading fakes" about the Russian military, as reported by the Kyiv Independent.
The charges against Mikhailov stem from Listok's coverage of the Bucha massacre, where Russian soldiers were accused of killing hundreds of Ukrainian civilians, as well as other reports on Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
Mikhailov was first detained in April 2022, shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. He has consistently denied the charges.
The trial against him began in June 2023, where he argued that he was not responsible for editorial decisions regarding the content published on Listok's website and social media platforms.
In his final statement before sentencing, Mikhailov stood by his work, stating, "I categorically disagree with the accusation. All these years, I have been writing what I consider to be the truth, even if this truth is bitter."
"The purpose of our publications is to reveal the truth to my fellow countrymen, to protect them from the lies of state propaganda. The fog of lies is becoming thicker, and I do not want our readers to be tempted by these lies and to voluntarily become participants in military actions, to become murderers," he added.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered that Mikhailov be banned from working in journalism for four years.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime has targeted thousands of citizens, with many being jailed for speaking out against the war.
According to Amnesty International, at least 21,000 people were subjected to Russia's "repressive laws" in 2023 alone, aimed at silencing anti-war activists.
