Kremlin Critic Alexei Gorinov Sentenced Again for Anti-War Stance in Russia

Alexei Gorinov Convicted Again for Anti-War Stance

Alexei Gorinov, a Kremlin critic, was convicted for opposing Russia’s war in Ukraine. A court handed him a three-year prison sentence. This trial lasted only three days, highlighting Moscow’s intolerance for dissent.

Gorinov, 63, is a former member of a Moscow municipal council. He is already serving a seven-year sentence for criticizing the invasion of Ukraine. Gorinov was first sentenced in July 2022. He spread “false information” about the military at a council meeting. He questioned a children’s art competition while pointing out that children are dying in Ukraine.

He was the first Russian imprisoned under a 2022 law that bans public criticism of the war. Many were shocked by his arrest and conviction. In March 2023, Gorinov stated that the authorities wanted to set an example of an ordinary person.

During the trial, Gorinov rejected the accusations. He stated that he called Crimea Ukrainian territory and identified the Azov regiment as part of the Ukrainian army.

Gorinov has serious health issues. He had part of a lung removed and has struggled with respiratory illnesses in prison. Despite this, he remained defiant in court. He condemned the Russian government for the war.

In his closing statement, Gorinov expressed regret. He said his guilt was allowing the war to happen. He called for shared responsibility among those who support the conflict. He asked for forgiveness from people in Ukraine and his fellow citizens affected by the war.

According to OVD-Info, a rights group, about 1,100 people face criminal cases for anti-war activities since February 2022. Currently, 340 of them are in prison or have been involuntarily committed to treatment facilities.