Judisk Kultur

In Early June 2025 Russian authorities arrested Lev Shlosberg, a prominent opposition politician from the liberal Yabloko party and recipient of the Gilel Storch Award in 2023, on charges of “discrediting” the Russian army. The accusation stems from remarks he made during a January video debate, referring to the war in Ukraine as a “bloody chess” game and calling for a ceasefire.

On June 11, 2025, a court in Pskov placed Shlosberg under two months of house arrest, to last until early August, restricting his activities pending trial.

Shlosberg now faces two separate legal challenges:

Criminal charges of discrediting the military, punishable by up to five years in prison.

A separate trial related to alleged violations of Russia’s “foreign agent” law.

His status has been further complicated by designation as a “foreign agent”, which carries significant legal and social stigma.

Shlosberg, aged 61, denies the charges. His arrest and detention have drawn strong condemnation from Yabloko leader Nikolai Rybakov, who stresses that Shlosberg’s statements are peaceful and grounded in humanitarian concern.