A Russian court on Wednesday sentenced in absentia veteran journalist Alexander Nevzorov to eight years in prison for spreading "false information" about Moscow's military offensive in Ukraine.
The verdict is the latest in a series of high-profile rulings under new legislation that opponents of the Kremlin say was designed to criminalise critism of the conflict.
Nevzorov, 64, came under pressure from authorities for alleging that Russian forces deliberately shelled a maternity hospital in Mariupol, a port city in southern Ukraine that was captured by Moscow after a long siege.
"Journalist Alexander Glebovich Nevzorov was found guilty ... and sentenced to imprisonment for a period of eight years," the press service for Moscow courts said in a statement on Telegram.
Prosecutors had requested a sentence of nine years in jail.
Nevzorov has left Russia and did not take part in the hearings.
Investigators launched the probe in March last year, saying Nevzorov had intentionally published "misleading information" with "inaccurate photographs of civilians affected by the shelling".
He was designated a "foreign agent" one month later, a branding that carries Soviet-era connotations and piles bureaucratic pressure on people hit with the label.
Nevzorov is a former member of parliament and his popular YouTube channel boasts nearly two million subscribers.
After the Kremlin ordered troops into Ukraine last February, Russia introduced new legislation criminalising what authorities consider to be false or damaging information about the Russian army and the offensive.
Several politicians and public figures have faced jail terms under the new law, including opposition councillor Ilya Yashin, who was sentenced to eight and a half year behind bars.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
India Now A Major Geopolitical Actor: Ex-Singapore Diplomat On PM's Russia-Ukraine Visit 5 Killed, Children Among 46 Injured In Ukrainian Strike In Russia Helicopter With 22 Onboard Goes Missing In Russia US Millionaire, Who Died By Suicide, Owed $34 Million With $8,000 In Bank Elderly Man Slapped, Abused On Train Over Suspicion Of Carrying Beef UK's Seat Should Go To India: Ex-Diplomat On UN Security Council Reforms 8 Killed After Bus Carrying 47 Overturns In US State Of Mississippi: Report Trump "Disrespected Sacred Ground' At US Military Cemetery: Kamala Harris Top 10 US Universities Based On Forbes Rankings 2024 Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.