A Russian left-wing activist has been sentenced to two years in jail for extremism after being detained in Kyrgyzstan, the Moscow court systemsaid late Tuesday.Alyona Krylova was among three Russian anti-war activistsarrested by authorities inKyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic in Central Asia, this summer.
One of the activists wasfined and released from detention this month for staging a protest against Russias security services in 2021.It remains unclear how Krylova, 31, was transferred from Kyrgyzstan to Russia.Moscows Meshchansky District Court found Krylova guilty of organizing an extremist community and ordered her to spend two years in a prison colony.Under the Russian Criminal Code, the charges are punishable by a maximum of six years in prison.The Memorial human rights group hasrecognized Krylova as a political prisoner.Russian authorities have cracked down on critics of the war in Ukraine with a range of criminal prosecutions in their effort to stifle dissent.Several anti-Kremlin activists fleeing persecution have been deported from or refused entry to Russia's neighbors and allies in the South Caucasus and Central Asia since Moscow invaded Ukraine in early 2022.