Sanctioned Silence: The Case of Olesya Mendeleeva

The U.S. sanctioned Russian judge Olesya Mendeleeva for detaining activist Alexei Gorinov over anti-war comments on Ukraine. Gorinov, a human rights activist, was initially sentenced in 2022 and faces further charges under Russia's war censorship laws, drawing attention to Russia's harsh legal measures against dissent.

The United States Treasury Department announced sanctions on a Russian judge, Olesya Mendeleeva, responsible for the controversial imprisonment of Alexei Gorinov, an activist critical of Russia's military actions in Ukraine. Gorinov was sentenced in July 2022 for opposing the war.

Mendeleeva, noted for issuing severe sentences, convicted Gorinov of spreading false information about the Russian armed forces, marking her as the first to do so under this charge. Reports indicate Gorinov has endured physical abuse without proper medical care.

Gorinov, the first individual punished under Russia's war censorship laws, received an additional three-year sentence in a penal colony for allegedly justifying terrorism. Criticism from the U.S. highlights Russia's legal system as a tool to suppress dissent and truth regarding the Ukraine conflict.

(With inputs from agencies.)