Exiled Meduza Publisher Galina Timchenko Sentenced to 5 Years in Absentee Ruling

On Friday, a Moscow court sentenced Galina Timchenko, the exiled founder and publisher of the Latvia-based news organization Meduza, to five years in prison due to charges associated with the outlet being labeled an «undesirable» organization.

Timchenko was convicted in absentia for managing an «undesirable» organization, a designation assigned to Meduza by Russia’s General Prosecutor’s Office in 2023. Prosecutors had sought a six-year prison term for her.

According to Russian legislation, «undesirable» organizations are prohibited from operations within the country. Individuals linked to these organizations can face sentences of up to four years, while leaders may receive up to six years in prison.

In June 2024, a Moscow court imposed a fine of 14,000 rubles (approximately $177) on Timchenko for engaging in activities related to an «undesirable» organization. Subsequently, she was charged with a more serious crime and was tried in absentia over the summer.

Timchenko was previously the editor-in-chief of the Lenta.ru news website until 2014, when she was dismissed by the new owner with ties to the Kremlin, Alexander Mamut. She later moved to Latvia, where she established Meduza.

Prosecutors, as noted in court documents referenced by the exiled news outlet Mediazona, asserted that Timchenko created Meduza out of «hatred and contempt» for Russia’s political framework and its domestic and international policies. They also contended that she continued to operate the outlet after it was listed as «undesirable» to maintain its influence in Russia, including through a mobile app designed to circumvent local restrictions.

Timchenko’s attorney pleaded with the court for her acquittal, claiming that the prosecution was violating her constitutional right to freedom of expression, as reported by Mediazona.