Russian court sentences opposition politician Kruglov to seven years in prison

Who is Maxim Kruglov?

Kruglov served as a deputy in the Moscow city parliament from 2019 to 2024 and had been co-chairman of the party since the end of 2023. The conviction represents another targeted blow against the liberal opposition party, which in any case plays only a marginal role in the Russian political system.

Shortly before the verdict was handed down, the prosecution once again pointed to the gravity of the charges. According to reports, it was said that Kruglov had damaged the reputation of the Russian armed forces with his statements. Defense lawyers and supporters rejected the charges as politically motivated.

The sentence of seven years is one of the harshest decisions imposed on a member of Yabloko in recent months. The Russian judiciary had previously moved against leading figures of the party, including the well-known deputy chairman Lev Shlosberg, who has likewise faced politically motivated proceedings.

Repression against opposition and media

The case comes amid a phase of intensified repression against anyone who opposes the Kremlin's war course. Russia has been battering Ukraine with a destructive war of aggression for more than four years. Many opponents of the war and Kremlin critics have fled into exile or are sitting in prison.

The Kremlin has largely silenced critical media and the opposition. Independent reporting on the war is practically impossible in Russia. Platforms such as the news portal Meduza or the TV station Dozhd work from abroad.

Outlook: Duma election in September

Observers also assess the verdict in the context of the upcoming Russian parliamentary election from 18 to 20 September this year. Less than three months before the vote, the state was sending a signal to all those who hold dissenting positions, it was said. The Duma is regarded as the country's most important legislative body.

The verdict was sharply criticized internationally. Human rights organizations see the proceedings as further evidence that Russia is criminalizing peaceful political dissent. In the West as well, commentators interpreted the conviction as an expression of an authoritarian system that leaves no room for the opposition.

Within Russia, the scope of action for opposition figures remains narrow. Anyone who publicly opposes the war or disseminates independent information must expect criminal proceedings. Kruglov's conviction exemplifies this development and illustrates the difficult situation of democratic forces in the country.

The agency for the reports is the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa), whose correspondents documented the proceedings from Moscow and Berlin.