Actor Artur Smolyaninov Sentenced in Absentia to Eight Years

Actor Artur Smolyaninov has been sentenced in absentia to eight years in prison for allegedly “smearing the country and the president.”

Moscow’s Basmanny Court handed down the eight-year sentence in absentia under charges of spreading “fake news” about the Russian army, TASS reports.

Prosecutors had requested 9 years and 10 months based on an interview with Novaya Gazeta Europe, where he commented on the shelling of Kryvyi Rih.

During arguments, a prosecutor stated that the actor was “pouring dirt on the country and the president.”

@meduzalive