On Friday, a military court in the city of Vladimir, western Russia, sentenced the political prisoner Alexei Gorinov, a former opposition municipal deputy in the Krasnoselsky district of Moscow, to a new additional sentence of three years in prison for “justifying terrorism,” after he allegedly exchanged views on Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine with his cellmates. This sham trial highlights yet again Russia’s continuous efforts to suppress freedom of expression and peaceful dissent.

Alexei Gorinov has been arbitrarily detained since April 2022 for his public anti-war stance on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. In prison, he continues to be inhumanly treated and denied necessary medical care, despite having a severe lung condition. This results in further health deterioration and amounts to torture.

The latest court decision is politically motivated and unacceptable. Russian authorities must stop the repression and release Alexei Gorinov and all other political prisoners in Russia immediately and unconditionally.