The Karelia Supreme Court in Russia has overturned two acquittals and sentenced world-renowned historian of the Soviet Terror Yuri Dmitriev to 13 years in a maximum-security prison. This is an effective death sentence for the 64-year-old historian, and one that was passed behind closed doors in the absence of his lawyer and with Mr. Dmitriev himself prevented from being present and from properly hearing the proceedings.
The court, under presiding judge Alla Rats, thus complied in full with the prosecution, ending politically motivated attempts to imprison Mr. Dmitriev on preposterous charges that first began in December 2016.