Jail sentence on Russia activist Orlov 'politically motivated', Nobel body says

Jail sentence on Russia activist Orlov 'politically motivated', Nobel body says

The committee awarding the Nobel Peace Prize said on Wednesday it was "appalled" by the jail sentence imposed on Russian activist Oleg Orlov, a leader of the disbanded human rights centre Memorial, who shared the prize in 2022.

"The sentence against Mr Orlov is politically motivated and provides another proof of the increasing disrespect for human rights and freedom of speech in today's Russia," Joergen Watne Frydnes, head of the committee, said in a statement.

Orlov was sentenced to 2-1/2 years in prison on Tuesday for "discrediting the armed forces" by protesting against the war in Ukraine and accusing President Vladimir Putin of leading a descent into fascism.

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"The Putin regime has for many years tried to silence the leadership of Memorial and other important civil society organizations in Russia, and they are now using the war on Ukraine as a pretext to finish the job," said Watne Frydnes.

"It is important that they won't succeed."

Memorial has defended freedom of speech and documented human rights abuses since its founding in 1989. It was banned and dissolved in Russia in 2021 after being designated a "foreign agent".

Watne Frydnes is the new leader of the five-strong Norwegian Nobel Committee elected on Monday. At 39, he is the youngest head of the award body.

The committee separately said on Wednesday that it had registered 285 candidates for this year's peace prize, comprising 196 individuals and 89 organisations.