Russian prosecutors on Tuesday requested a prison sentence of nine years for opposition figure and anti-war activist Mikhail Krieger.
Krieger, 63, was arrested in November 2022 on charges of justifying terrorism and inciting hatred.
After Tuesday’s court hearing, Krieger, who denied his guilt, sang the Ukrainian folk song “Chervona Kalyna,” which has become an anthem of Ukrainian resistance following the Kremlin’s invasion.
The verdict in Krieger’s case is expected to be handed down on Wednesday.
Krieger was charged with “justifying terrorism” over a 2020 social media post in which he praised two men who staged attacks at Federal Security Service (FSB) buildings as “heroes.”
Investigators also claim that Krieger “incited hatred” by calling for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be executed by hanging in a 2020 Facebook post.
Russia’s Memorial human rights organization has recognized Krieger as a political prisoner.
Krieger’s supporters believe he was arrested for his anti-war position and activism.
Russia detained more than 20,000 people for political reasons throughout 2022, according to end-of-year statistics published by OVD-Info, one of Russia’s leading independent human rights watchdogs.
