- Darya Shipacheva was convicted of treason by a Moscow court and sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony, as reported by the Interfax news agency.
- The trial lasted just 90 minutes and was held behind closed doors, with no details of the case officially released.
- Shipacheva was arrested in April 2025 and was transferred to a detention facility in Rostov-on-Don before being moved to Moscow's Lefortovo prison.
- The charges against her stemmed from an alleged money transfer to a Ukrainian family member, which investigators reinterpreted to build the treason case.
- Shipacheva pleaded guilty and received the minimum sentence for the offence, with her defense team arguing for a lighter sentence due to her cooperation with law enforcement.
- A video from inside the courtroom showed Shipacheva looking shocked as the verdict was announced.
- Russia has increased pressure on journalists since launching its war in Ukraine in 2022, with a record number of convictions for treason and related charges.
- Prior to her conviction, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported that 29 journalists were imprisoned in Russia in connection with their work.
- Shipacheva, who specialized in science and medical journalism, worked for several prominent Russian media organizations before her arrest.
- Before her arrest, she faced online harassment from members of a banned ultra-nationalist group due to her feminist views.
Darya Shipacheva, a journalist specializing in science and medical reporting, was sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony by a Moscow court for treason. The trial, which lasted only 90 minutes, was held behind closed doors, with no public details released.123
The charges against Shipacheva stemmed from a money transfer she made to a family member in Ukraine, which authorities reinterpreted as treasonous. Shipacheva, who pleaded guilty, received the minimum sentence for her offense. Her defense team argued for leniency, citing her cooperation with law enforcement.6789
Shipacheva was arrested in April 2025 and had previously faced online harassment due to her feminist views. The Committee to Protect Journalists noted that 29 journalists were imprisoned in Russia for their work prior to her sentencing. The case highlights the increasing pressure on the media in Russia since the onset of the war in Ukraine in 2022, with a record 312 convictions for treason and related charges reported in the first half of 2026.4511121316
Shipacheva's trial and sentencing reflect the broader crackdown on press freedom in Russia, where independent journalism faces severe risks.
“Shipacheva's conviction stems from an alleged money transfer to a Ukrainian family member, which investigators reinterpreted as treason. The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that 29 journalists are currently imprisoned in Russia, highlighting the increasing pressure on the press since the war in Ukraine began.”
The Moscow Times
