Russian blogger Ilya Varlamov sentenced in absentia to eight years in prison

The Meshchansky District court of Moscow, Russia, sentenced blogger Ilya Varlamov in absentia (recognized as a foreign agent in Russia) to eight years in a penal colony and a fine of 99.5 million rubles (approximately $1.25 million), Report informs via Izvestia.

He was found guilty of evading the duties of a foreign agent and publicly spreading false information about the Russian Armed Forces.

The trial took place in absentia — Varlamov is abroad and is on the international wanted list. The blogger's defense asked the court to issue an acquittal.

It was established that Varlamov was brought to administrative responsibility twice during the year, but continued to distribute public messages and materials online without indicating that they were created by a person performing the functions of a foreign agent.

On August 13, the state prosecution requested eight years in a general regime penal colony in absentia and a fine of 99 million rubles (just over $1.24 million) for Varlamov. In addition, the court seized the blogger's account in the amount of 5.3 million rubles ($66,500).