Sentences upheld for defendants in the Vesna case

Sentences upheld for defendants in the Vesna case

The court upheld the sentences of four people convicted in the Vesna case: Anna Arkhipova, Jan Ksenzhepolsky, Pavel Sinelnikov, and Vasily Neustroev. The other two convicted defendants, who had received the shortest terms, did not appeal their sentences. This was reported by Mediazona.

What sentences did the defendants receive?

🟧 Anna Arkhipova — 12 years in a penal colony,

🟧 Jan Ksenzhepolsky — 11 years,

🟧 Vasily Neustroev — 10 years,

🟧 Pavel Sinelnikov — 7.5 years,

🟧 Yevgeny Zateev and Valentin Khoroshenin (did not file an appeal) — 6 years and 2 months.

What did the defendants say in their final statements?

“Maybe not everyone’s conscience is clean, but all of us, all six of us, have been in prison on false charges for more than three years. Maybe the position of peace is not in favor with the state right now, but our country needs it. Maybe the court will not acquit us, but in time history will,” Anna Arkhipova said.

“Today we are crossing the Rubicon. Our trial, which lasted almost three and a half years, is coming to an end. Ahead of us lies a path no less long. It awaits all of us. As Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov wrote, no one should count on quick and universal solutions to great problems. We must all be patient,” Jan Ksenzhepolsky said.

“I read the law on countering extremism here, and it contains many interesting provisions. For example, the notorious ‘extremist community.’ This law has no such concept as an ‘extremist community.’ It is sort of... I don’t know, undefined. That means anything can be called an ‘extremist community.’ Which is exactly what happened,” Pavel Sinelnikov noted.

“For peace, freedom, for the future of our country, for a peace-loving and democratic Russia! Russia will be free! That is all, thank you,” Vasily Neustroev concluded after the judge interrupted him several times.

What is Vesna known for?

The Vesna movement appeared in 2013 as an independent political platform for students and graduates. Its participants held social and political actions. Many of them later became election observers, aides to deputies, and civic activists.

Everything changed with the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The movement called on Russians to take part in peaceful anti-war protest. As early as spring 2022, its members were searched and the first criminal cases were opened.

💰 You can help the defendants! Anna and Jan’s support group is raising 720,000 rubles to pay for lawyers’ work on the appeal — you can support the fundraiser on the independent Zaodno platform.

Photo: Mediazona

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