A Russian court docket has sentenced Ksenia Karelina, a 33-year-old Russian-American lady, to 12 years in jail on treason costs after she made a small donation of simply over US$50 to a US-based charity supporting Ukraine.
The decision got here after a closed-door trial on the Sverdlovsk regional court docket following Karelina’s arrest earlier this 12 months whereas visiting her grandparents.
Karelina, who pleaded responsible to the costs, was accused of sending cash to finance tools and ammunition for the Ukrainian army, RIA Novosti reported.
His lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, has indicated he plans to attraction the choice.
The sentencing comes simply days after a significant prisoner trade between Russia and Western nations, by which 24 people have been freed, together with former US Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Road Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich.
The Russian authorities has just lately elevated penalties for treason, with President Vladimir Putin elevating the utmost sentence from 20 years to life in jail final 12 months amid the continuing struggle.
Karelina, a Los Angeles resident who grew to become a U.S. citizen in 2021, visited Russia for the primary time in a number of years. Her boyfriend, Chris Van Heerden, revealed that she was excited in regards to the journey, which he had organized as a birthday current for her. Van Heerden burdened that Karelina was not politically engaged and had by no means spoken in regards to the battle between Russia and Ukraine.
Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based nonprofit to which Karelina allegedly donated, expressed dismay at her arrest and conviction.
The case has attracted a whole lot of consideration, significantly due to the court docket’s involvement in earlier high-profile instances, together with the conviction of Evan Gershkovich for espionage.
Karelina’s authorized crew stays hopeful of doable inclusion in a future prisoner trade, though her lawyer acknowledges that such negotiations can’t proceed till the decision is understood.
