Russian author and outspoken Putin critic Boris Kagarlitsky sentenced to five years in prison

Russian author and outspoken Putin critic, Boris Kagarlitsky, has been sentenced to five years in prison, just months after being released with a fine. 

In December 2023 Kagarlitsky was found guilty of “public justification of terrorism” for a video published on Marxist online publication Rabkor, where he is editor-in-chief, commenting on the blast attack on the Crimean Bridge in October 2022.  

He was issued a fine of RUB609,000 (approximately £5,200). The prosecution appealed this sentence, and, on 13th February, Russia’s Military Court of Appeal sentenced him to five years in a penal colony. He was also banned from administering websites for two years after his release.  

Natalia Zviagina, Amnesty International’s director for Russia, said: “This verdict is a blatant abuse of vague anti-terrorism legislation, weaponised to suppress dissent and punish a government critic. By targeting Boris Kagarlitsky, a distinguished sociologist known for his critical stance against government policies, the Russian authorities are showing, once again, their relentless assault on all forms of dissent. 

“This conviction, and the closed nature of his trial, provide another stark example of the treatment of political dissenters in Russia. It is an overt attack on freedom of expression with the aim of silencing critical voices through fear and repression. 

“This case is not an isolated incident but part of a broader, systematic effort to stifle opposition and control what can and cannot be said in Russia. Amnesty International calls for the immediate release of Boris Kagarlitsky and urges the international community to stand in solidarity against the silencing of critics and the ongoing erosion of human rights in Russia.” 

Kagarlitsky’s new book The Long Retreat will be published in May by Pluto Press.