The committee awarding the Nobel Peace Prize has said they are "appalled" by the jail sentence imposed on Russian activist
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Jailing of Russia activist 'politically motivated', Nobel committee says
Oleg Orlov,
a leader of the disbanded human rights centre Memorial, who shared the prize in 2022.
Joergen Watne Frydnes, head of the committee, said the sentence was "politically motivated" and "proof of the increasing disrespect for human rights and freedom of speech in today's Russia".
"The Putin regime has for many years tried to silence the leadership of Memorial and other important civil society organisations in Russia, and they are now using the war on Ukraine as a pretext to finish the job," he added.
"It is important that they won't succeed."
Mr Orlov, 70, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison yesterday for "discrediting the armed forces" by protesting against the war in Ukraine and accusing Vladimir Putin of leading a descent into fascism.
Memorial has defended freedom of speech and documented human rights abuses since its founding in 1989.
It was banned and dissolved in Russia in 2021 after being designated a "foreign agent".
anothe brave russian
