A military court in Moscow sentenced exiled writer Boris Akunin to 14 years behind bars on Monday, convicting him of justifying terrorism, aiding terrorist activities, and breaching the country’s “foreign agent” regulations.
Akunin, a well-known author and critic of the Kremlin, was tried in absentia since he has been living outside Russia since 2014. In January 2024, he was placed on Russia’s list of “terrorists and extremists,” shortly after being labeled a “foreign agent” and an arrest warrant was issued against him.
The Russian prosecution, which sought an 18-year sentence for Akunin, accused him of endorsing terrorism in a February 2024 post on Telegram, where he expressed his support for a “revolution” in Russia.
He also faced allegations of “facilitating” terrorism during a recorded conversation with pro-Kremlin pranksters, who impersonated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko. During the call, Akunin showed solidarity with Ukraine.
Moreover, authorities claimed that Akunin did not label numerous Telegram posts from early 2025 with the required “foreign agent” disclaimer, as mandated by law.
The prosecution had additionally requested a fine of 400,000 rubles (approximately $5,100) and a five-year restriction on his ability to operate websites after his prison term. The judge imposed a four-year website operation ban following his release.
Typically, sentences delivered in absentia are enacted only if the individual is extradited to Russia.
In response to the verdict, Akunin, whose real name is Grigory Chkhartishvili, made a sardonic post on Telegram, stating, “Well, dear readers of the internet. This concludes our time together for an extended period. The military court is not only just but also prompt. I’ve received a sentence of 14 years, along with an additional four-year restriction on running websites.”
According to the state-run news agency TASS, a defense attorney appointed by the court indicated that Akunin had pleaded not guilty. However, the writer denied having authorized any lawyer to represent him and rejected the validity of the trial.
“TASS is lying, as is often the case. I do not ‘plead not guilty.’ I do not recognize their court,” he wrote on Telegram.
Mediazona, an exiled news organization, reported that only one witness for the prosecution attended the hearing at Moscow’s Second Western District Military Court on Monday.
Akunin has been a vocal opponent of the Kremlin, criticizing Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He is a co-founder of “True Russia,” a platform that supports Ukrainian refugees and anti-war Russians living in exile.
