The Moscow City Court pronounced the verdict in the case of illegally detained Ukrinform journalist Roman Sushchenko. He has been sentenced to 12 years in a high-security penal colony, Russian Interfax reports.
“It is ordered to recognize Sushchenko guilty in the commitment of the crime provided by the article 276 of the Criminal Code of Russia (Espionage) and sentence him the punishment in the form of 12 years of imprisonment in the hard labor colony”, - Oleg Muzychenko, the judge stated.
The court session against Sushchenko took place in the closed regime and the court announced only introductory and resume parts of the decision.
As reported, Ukrinform correspondent Roman Sushchenko was detained in violation of international rules in 2016 in Moscow, where he arrived on a private visit. He was charged with "espionage". Russia's FSB claimed that Sushchenko "collected secret information about the activities of the Russian military". The latter denied this allegation, calling it a provocation.
In May, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine offered to exchange Sushchenko to the head of the news agency RIA Novosti Ukraina Kyrylo Vyshynsky. On May 17, the city court of Kherson arrested Vyshynsky, who is suspected of a state treason.