Moscow Judge Sentences Exiled Libertarian Mikhail Svetov to One Year in Prison

Oct. 29, 2026 Mikhail Svetov. Instagram A Moscow judge has sentenced prominent Russian libertarian and media influencer Mikhail Svetov to one year in prison in absentia after he was found guilty of violating the country’s “foreign agent” law, the Moscow Prosecutor’s Office said Thursday. Svetov has been fined for the same violation at least five times since being added to Russia’s “foreign agent” list in November 2022. The 41-year-old left Russia in 2021 after a police raid on his home and a nine-day administrative arrest connected to protests in support of late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. “While outside Russia, he distributed materials on social media without indicating that they were created and distributed by an individual performing the functions of a foreign agent,” the Moscow Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement. In addition to sentencing him in absentia to one year at a medium-security penal colony, an arbitration court also banned Svetov from running websites or social media accounts for three years. Russia’s Justice Ministry added the unregistered Libertarian Party of Russia, which Svetov previously led, to its “foreign agent” database in July. Around the same time, state media reports claimed that law enforcement authorities charged Svetov with “rehabilitating Nazism” in connection with a video of a Ukrainian song he posted online. Read more about: Court cases , Opposition Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Moscow Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Zhanna Nemtsova Nemtsova, who has lived in Europe for several years, faces charges of organizing the activities of an “undesirable” organization. 1 Min read Moscow Activist Kotov Detained for Allegedly Donating to Navalny’s ‘Extremist’ Groups Konstantin Kotov was arrested during the 2019 Moscow election protests and ended up serving 18 months for “multiple breaches” of Russian protest laws... 1 Min read Opposition Politician Accused of ‘Discrediting’ Russian Military “The ideal goal is to scare people into not even thinking,” the politician, Lev Shlosberg, wrote. Russian Blogger Jailed for 5 Years Over ‘Hateful’ Tweet A Moscow court said the tweet urged violence against the children of police officers following a mass protest crackdown.