Russian Court Sentences US Writer Masha Gessen Despite Her Absent Presence

Masha Gessen, an American-Russian journalist and author based in the United States, was convicted by a Moscow court in absentia on charges of disseminating untruths about military operations without her physical presence during the trial. The judgment rendered an eight-year prison sentence for the alleged misinformation.

Masha Gessen, born in Moscow and currently employed as a staff writer with The New Yorker and contributor to The New York Times, is recognized as an outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin while also receiving accolades for her literary works. Her residence in the United States adds complexity given Russia's laws against public discourse that diverges from state-approved narratives post-Ukraine conflict onset.

December brought a wanted notice to Gessen, with Russian news outlets indicating that her statements about incidents during the Ukrainian town of Bucha were foundational for this accusation. An interview featuring Masha and online commentator Yury Dud had garnered over 6 million views on YouTube by September 2022, where they discussed events in Bucha from earlier that year.

Ukrainian forces who liberated Bucha discovered numerous deceased civilians – men, women, and children – scattered across the town's streets, homes, and makeshift graves with indications of torture; these claims contradict Russian denials and subsequent legal actions against local figures for discussing the atrocities.

The legislation that came into effect shortly after Ukraine's invasion curtails any public discussion on war matters not in line with Kremlin-approved versions, despite Russia asserting non-civilian targets were struck during its military involvement in Ukraine.

Gessen, who has dual citizenship but resided predominantly in the United States until 2013 due to legislative changes in Russia against LGBTQ+ rights, is now at risk of imprisonment upon return to Russia under their judicial system's extradition practices.

Since conflict commenced in February 2022, there has been an intensified suppression of dissent within Russian borders and a crackdown on U.S. citizens presenting critical views. OVD-Info indicates that since the war started, Russia has levied over 1,053 charges against protestors opposing its military actions in Bucha alone.

On Monday, Richard Rose, another individual of Russian nationality and resident within Russia, received a verdict for distributing falsified information about the Russian military's conduct during the Bucha crisis, paralleling Gessen’s situation with an eight-year prison sentence.