U.S Citizen Faces 12 Years of Sentence for 12-Dollar Charity in Russia: Ksenia Karelina donated $50 dollar to a non-profit Organization to a U.S.-based charity that supplies weapons and other equipment, including medical aid, for Ukraine’s military.
The dual citizen was charged with treason by Russia because of the $50 donation she made to charity on Thursday. The verdict was given after a close door trial at Sverdlovsk regional court. Ksenia Karelina’s lawyer Mikhail Mushailov said he would appeal the Verdict.
Also Read: Russia Agrees to Release Three US Prisoners In Exchange For Its 10 Prisoners
“I was not surprised by the prison sentence or the way the trial was conducted,” Mikhail Mushailov said but also added that he will try to reduce her sentence.
Her conviction just came two weeks after the U.S. and Russia had their biggest prisoner exchange since the Cold War. including former US Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in exchange of in return for 10 Russian intelligence agents, undercover spies and their two children, hackers, and Vadim Krasikov, a convicted assassin associated with an elite unit of the Federal Security Service (FSB).
Also Read: Iran is Ready To Take its Promised Revenge: America has Sent Back up To Israel
Ksenia Karelina said that she hopes she gets included in future swaps. According to Karelina’s profile on VK, she became a U.S. citizen in 2021, which makes her eligible for the swap.
Russia has been very strict with its treason offenders since its full-scale campaign on Ukraine. And the number of cases is also spiking every year. last year 50 people were accused of the crime.
Many Americans are still been jailed in Russia including Marc Fogel, who has been convicted of the crime of selling drugs when an officer found a small packet of medical marijuana with him, or Gordon Black who was arrested because he was accused of stealing and threatening his Russian girlfriend.
Also Read: Mohammed Bin Salman is Afraid for his Life: Seeks protection from America
