Russia arrests Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights activist

Russian human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Oleg Orlov, was arrested this Tuesday (27) for “discredit the Armed Forces†when protesting the war in Ukraine. The 70-year-old man was sentenced to two and a half years in prison.

Orlov, who leads the human rights group Memorial and won part of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, was accused after participating in anti-war demonstrations and publishing the article “They wanted fascism. They did it†.

Condemnation

According to authorities, the activist would also have been convicted of accusing President Vladimir Putin of leading a “descent into fascism†. During the trial, the prosecution stated that Oleg Orlov had demonstrated “political hatred of Russia†.

In a statement, Memorial, created to defend freedom of expression and record human rights abuses, said Orlov's arrest “it is an attempt to stifle the voice of the human rights movement in Russia and any criticism of the State†. For the activist, the sentence only showed that his article “it was accurate and true†.

Opponents arrested

Several opponents of Vlamidir Putin have been arrested since the beginning of his government. The Russian president's main critic of the last decade, Alexei Navalny, who led an anti-corruption movement, was sentenced to 19 years on charges of extremism and fraud.

After being transferred to one of the harshest prisons in Russia, on February 16, Navalny lost consciousness after a walk in the penitentiary and was declared dead. For the international community, mainly the United States, and for Alexei Navalny's family, Putin is responsible for the activist's death.

In a press conference after his death, US President Joe Biden stated that “there is no doubt that Navalny's death is a consequence of Putin's actions”. Last Friday (23), the government of the North American country announced that a series of sanctions will be applied against Russia.

Featured photo: Russian human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Oleg Orlov after being taken into custody. (Reproduction/AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko).