Russian disabled son of political prisoner gets 7 years for 'justifying terrorism'

A military court in St. Petersburg has sentenced Daniil Belousov to seven years in a penal colony on charges of "justifying terrorism," according to reports from RusNews. The trial was held behind closed doors. The case stemmed from messages Belousov posted in the open chat "Net Voine" ("No War"), which included photographs from a pro-Ukrainian rally held outside the Moldovan Parliament building in Chisinau.

Prosecutors alleged that Belousov administered the chat, which is linked to the "Media Partizany | Net Voine" project. His father, Oleg Belousov, an amateur archaeologist, received a five-year sentence in 2023 for anti-war posts on VKontakte criticizing Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine.

Daniil Belousov suffers from cognitive impairments caused by damage to his central nervous system. Until his arrest, he was cared for by his father. The case highlights the ongoing crackdown on dissent in Russia, where even individuals with severe health conditions are prosecuted for expressing opposition to the government's policies.