A Moscow court sentenced Galina Timchenko, the exiled founder and publisher of the Latvia-based news agency Meduza, to five years in prison on Friday for charges linked to the outlet’s classification as an “undesirable” organization.

Timchenko was convicted in absentia for managing an “undesirable” organization, a label that the General Prosecutor’s Office of Russia assigned to Meduza in 2023. Prosecutors had sought a six-year prison term for her.

According to Russian law, operations of “undesirable” organizations are prohibited within the country. Those affiliated with such organizations can face prison sentences of up to four years, while leaders of these organizations may face up to six years.

In June 2024, a Moscow court also imposed a fine of 14,000 rubles ($177) on Timchenko for her involvement with an “undesirable” organization. She was subsequently charged with a more serious crime and was tried in absentia this summer.

Timchenko was the editor-in-chief of the news website Lenta.ru until 2014, when she was dismissed by the new owner, Kremlin-linked investor Alexander Mamut. Following her dismissal, she moved to Latvia, where she established Meduza.

As reported by Mediazona, an exiled news organization that referenced court documents, prosecutors asserted that Timchenko founded Meduza out of “hatred and disdain” for Russia’s political system and its policies both at home and abroad.

The prosecution also claimed that Timchenko continued to run the outlet after its “undesirable” designation to maintain its influence in Russia, including via a mobile app that circumvents domestic restrictions.

Timchenko’s attorney argued for her acquittal in court, stating that the prosecution was violating her constitutional right to freedom of expression, according to Mediazona.