The appeal to reverse a five-year imprisonment sentence for one of Russia’s youngest political prisoners was unsuccessful.
When Arseny Turbin was arrested in the summer of 2023, he was just 15 years old.
He allegedly joined the Freedom of Russia Legion, a paramilitary group made up of Russian volunteers who defend Ukraine from the Russian army, according to the authorities.
Arseny was given a five-year sentence in a juvenile colony, and Russia has labeled the Freedom of Russia Legion as a terrorist organization. The court of appeals only shortened his five-year sentence by 24 days on Thursday.
Russian human rights officials say that since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing crackdown on civil liberties, nine kids have been charged with politically motivated crimes, including Arseny.
