Controversial verdict in Tomsk: Tatiana Laletina sentenced for treason

A controversial verdict was issued in Tomsk regarding 21-year-old Tatiana, who was sentenced to nine years in prison for transferring small amounts of money to a Ukrainian foundation. Authorities immediately took action. The charges of treason against Russia caused significant concern among the girl's loved ones.

The court in Tomsk issued a sentence against Tatiana Laletina for transferring two payments totalling CAD 40 to a Ukrainian foundation. Radio Liberty reported the verdict.

Tatiana Laletina was detained in February this year. According to her friends, the money was intended to support the Ukrainian army. In Russia, such actions are considered treason and are pursued by the authorities.

A friend of the girl said that the last contact with her was brief and disturbing—allegedly, she informed her about noise at the door. She emphasized that the convicted girl was deeply involved in supporting the fighting neighbours and had decisively cut off ties with people supporting Russian aggression against Ukraine.

According to Belsat TV, under the current Russian law, treason can result in a prison sentence of up to 12 years. The young woman was sentenced to nine years.

The court imposed a penalty lower than the minimum stipulated in the article regarding treason, which, according to the Mediazona portal, might suggest that Tatiana Laletina confessed to the charges. The convicted's family and her lawyer refused to comment to the media.

Strict laws have been in place in Russia since the spring of 2022. The authorities then adopted new regulations, banning criticism of the "special military operation" and discrediting the army. The invasion, initially planned to last at most three days, has now been going on for over two years, and Vladimir Putin's people are clamping down on any signs of resistance in the country against the unleashed war.