A 65-year-old Russian man convicted of having hacked his son to death with an ax because the latter burned his dad's books on "black magic" and the occult has been sentenced to eight years in prison, a regional prosecutor's office said Friday.
A court ruled that Artyom Konnov, a resident of a rural town in the far-eastern Amur region, committed the murder of his sleeping son with "at least two swings of his ax" in June last year, the prosecutor's statement said.
Konnov's lawyer appealed that ruling, saying his client was acting in self-defense against a possible future attack, but an appellate court decided on Thursday that the original ruling was legally binding. Konnov will serve out at least one year of his sentence in a "strict regime" penal colony, the statement said.
See also:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
