Russia – Sentencing of human rights defender Oleg Orlov (12 July 2024)

France was outraged to learn that the Russian human rights defender Oleg Orlov’s two-and-a-half year prison sentence was upheld, following a trial in which the rights of the defense were systematically flouted.

This decision is all the more troubling as Mr. Orlov is in poor health and has been subjected to ill-treatment since his initial trial.

France condemns this latest example of Russia’s authoritarian excesses and calls on the Russian authorities to release all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally.