Russian ex-defence reporter’s treason appeal rejected

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Former Russian defence reporter Ivan Safronov lost an appeal on Wednesday against a 22-year jail sentence for treason.

Safronov, a reporter for the Kommersant and Vedomosti newspapers who later worked as an adviser to the head of Russia’s space agency, was arrested in 2020 and accused of disclosing classified information.

His supporters called his sentencing in September an unjustified and draconian measure that showed the absence of media freedom in Russia.

Speaking from the defendant’s cage before the ruling was announced, Safronov joked with reporters, and said he was writing a book. “Life goes on,” he said.

Prosecutors said Safronov, 32, shared state secrets about Russia’s arms sales in the Middle East with the Czech Republic’s foreign intelligence arm.

He denied having disclosed any information that was not available from open sources, and rejected a plea deal in which he would have been sentenced to 12 years.

His defence team said the trial was retribution for Safronov drawing attention to Russia’s plans to sell fighter jets to Egypt.

The estimated $2-billion deal was scrapped soon afterwards, when the United States threatened to impose sanctions on Egypt if it went ahead.

During the trial, Safronov’s legal team published links to 19 published articles and government statements containing the purportedly secret information that he was alleged to have disclosed to Czech foreign intelligence.

Speaking outside the court building, Dmitry Katchev, a member of Safronov’s defence team, said they were disappointed by the ruling and would appeal again.

The Kremlin has denied influencing the case, which sparked an outcry from Russian journalists. The European Union had urged Russia to rescind all the charges and release Safronov unconditionally.

The heavy sentence – more than Russian courts typically hand down in murder cases – was seen as a further blow against press freedom at a time when the Kremlin has intensified pressure on independent media outlets since sending its armed forces into Ukraine on Feb. 24.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Kevin Liffey)