The trial of seven Russian antifascists accused of terrorist offences ended today in Penza, western Russia.

Dmitry Pchelintsev recieved 18 years, Ilya Shakursky 16 years, Arman Sagynbaev 6 years, Andrei Chernov 14 years, Vasily Kuksov 9 years, Mikhail Kulkov 10 years and Maxim Ivankin 13 years imprisonment.

The Network case has begun in October 2017, when the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested six people in Penza accusing them of participation in a terrorist organisation “The Network”. Two other Penza residents disappeared and were put on the wanted list by the FSB. They were subsequently detained in Moscow. In January 2018, two more people were arrested in the same case, and, in April that year, charges were brought against one more person.

According to the prosecution, the “anarchist terrorist community” was set up in May 2015. After the group’s formation, the defendants allegedly “assigned roles among themselves and explored ways of committing crimes” in order to overthrow the Russian regime by “establishing combat groups and recruiting individuals who shared their anarchist ideology.” They were also accused of intending to use bombs to trigger “destabilisation of the political climate in the country” during the Russian presidential elections in March 2018 and the football World Cup held in the country in July that year.

Throughout the trial, the defendants dened the charges and complained about mistreatment including torture by electric shock and beating during their detention.

Today’s court verdict was delivered amid protests outside the court. After the verdict was announced, the court audience responded with shouts “Shame!” And “Freedom!”.

В зале суда после оглашения приговора по «пензенскому делу». Видео: Давид Френкель / Медиазона https://t.co/nTEiKGzrco pic.twitter.com/RNA71POXvA — Медиазона (@mediazzzona) February 10, 2020

The court allowed the seven anarchists a right to appeal.

What can you do to support the Russian antifascists and anarchists who have been tortured and imprisoned?