A Russian District Military Court on Friday sentenced anti-war activist and former Moscow municipal deputy Aleksei Gorinov to an additional three years in prison, according to local media.

The court found Gorinov guilty of “justifying terrorism” and ordered him to serve his sentence in a stricter prison facility than the one he is currently in. Gorinov had been convicted of spreading false information in 2022 and was already serving a seven-year sentence for that conviction.

The new charges stemmed from Gorinov’s conversations with fellow inmates at a prison hospital. According to investigators, Gorinov spoke favorably about the Crimean Bridge explosion and groups designated as terrorist organizations in Russia. Justifying terrorism is punishable under Article 205 of the Russian Federation Criminal Code. Gorinov, however, vehemently denied these claims, stating that he was provoked into political discussions and that his comments were misrepresented.

Defense lawyer Alena Savelyeva argued that the evidence, including audio recordings and identical witness statements from inmates, was obtained through provocation and lacked credibility. Savelyeva pointed out that Gorinov’s conversations, recorded secretly over nearly 14 hours, resulted in charges based on just 14 words. Linguist Elena Novozhilova, testifying for the defense, concluded that Gorinov did not justify terrorism. She stated that the conversations were deliberately instigated by other inmates. Despite these arguments, the court dismissed motions to exclude the contentious evidence.

In his final statement, Gorinov reaffirmed his anti-war stance, condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a catastrophic mistake. He criticized the political system for targeting peaceful dissenters while ignoring the real architects of violence and destruction. He stated that his guilt was that he, as a Russian citizen, allowed the war to happen and was unable to stop it. He added that he wanted his responsibility to be shared by those who support the war and those who persecute advocates of peace.

Human rights organizations have decried the sentence as politically motivated. Amnesty International’s Russia Director Natalia Zviagina called the ruling “outrageous” and a stark reminder of the Kremlin’s efforts to silence opposition. She stated that “Gorinov’s ongoing persecution reflects the ruthlessness of political reprisals in Russia” and urged authorities to release him and respect the right to free expression.