According to the sentencing statistics for 2024, published by the Judicial Department of the Supreme Court, the number of sentences under political articles compared to the first year of the war increased several times, calculated the project 'We Can Explain'*.
In the third year of the war, 145 sentences were handed down for treason, which is 9 times more than in 2022 (there were 16 then). The explosive growth in the number of sentences (3.5 times) occurred precisely in 2024. Almost half of the convicted — 70 people — received terms from 10 to 15 years.
Since 2022, the number of sentences under the article on military 'fakes' has increased sixfold: in the first year of the war, there were only 14 cases, in 2023 — 59, and in 2024 — 82. The terms given to dissenters are like for robbery — 6-8 years, notes 'MO'.
Under the article on 'discrediting' the Russian army, in the first year of the war in Ukraine, only two people were convicted. In 2023, 46 sentences were handed down, in 2024 — 63. The accused most often got off with fines from 25 to 300 thousand rubles. However, 13 people received actual terms.
In the first two years of the war, the number of sentences under the article on 'justification of terrorism' practically did not change (270-280), in the third — there was an increase of more than a third, to 410. This is primarily due to the fact that the article was 'learned' to be massively applied to anti-war cases.
Articles on 'participation in the activities of undesirable organizations' and 'calls for sanctions' remain almost unused. In 2022, there were only 2 sentences for participation in the activities of an 'undesirable' organization, in 2023–2024 — 6 annually. The article on calls for sanctions turned out to be dead: not a single case in three years.
* Recognized in Russia as a 'foreign agent'.