Moscow courts on Monday sentenced exiled Russian-Georgian journalist Yekaterina Kotrikadze and Russian businessman Yevgeny Chichvarkin to several years in prison in absentia after finding them guilty of spreading “fakes” about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Prosecutors accused Kotrikadze, news director and anchor of the exiled broadcaster TV Rain, of posting about alleged war crimes committed by Russian troops in Ukraine on her personal Telegram channel in the spring of 2022.
Chichvarkin, owner of the Michelin-starred restaurant Hide in London, was accused of posting a Russian Anti-War Committee statement on his Instagram in August 2024.
Witnesses in both trials described suffering “emotional distress” after reading Kotrikadze’s and Chichvarkin’s social media posts.
“Unlike Chichvarkin, I’m a patriot,” the news outlet Mediazona quoted one of the witnesses as saying when questioned by a state prosecutor.
Moscow’s Dorogomilovsky District Court handed Chichvarkin a nine-year prison sentence in absentia after finding him guilty of spreading “war fakes,” as well as violating Russia’s “foreign agent” law.
Chichvarkin fled to Britain in 2008, saying he feared for his life if jailed in Russia, where he faced extortion and kidnapping charges he claimed were politically motivated.
Separately, Moscow’s Golovinsky District Court on Monday found Kotrikadze guilty of the same crimes as Chichvarkin and sentenced her to eight years in prison in absentia.
Several other journalists employed at TV Rain have also been convicted or face “war fakes” charges, including Koktrikadze’s husband, Tikhon Dzyadko, who serves as editor-in-chief of the exiled broadcaster.
TV Rain suspended operations in March 2022 after Russia ordered it to stop broadcasting over its critical coverage of the war in Ukraine. It later resumed broadcasting abroad and is now based in Amsterdam.
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.
