A Moscow court today sentenced the Russian politician Ilya Yashin to 8,5 years in prison for his reporting about atrocities committed by Russia’s armed forces against  Ukrainian civilians in Bucha.

Russia’s so-called “fake news” law, which was used in the case against Mr Yashin, aims at censoring and silencing independent voices and at preventing them from questioning, criticising and reporting factually about Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.

Today’s court decision is politically motivated and unacceptable. The EU calls on Russia’s authorities to release Ilya Yashin and all other political prisoners in Russia immediately and unconditionally.