29.08.2012
Taisia Osipova, an activist of a non-registered party “Drugaya Rossiya” [Other Russia] was sentenced to eight years of penal colony for drug trade.
Svetlana Sidorkina, the convict’s attorney, said that, according to the sentence, Osipova is to serve her tem in a minimum-security correctional labor facility. However, the defense intends to appeal from a judgement, anyway.
“We expected a verdict of not guilty. The public prosecutor insisted on four years in prison. However, the judge has given a much more severe sentence”, Ms. Sidorkina commented.
Svetlana Reiter, an independent journalist who was present at the trial, characterized Taisia Osipova’s behavior when the sentence was ushered as absolutely calm. “She listened to the judge with indifference; and when the sentence was proclaimed, she smiled”, Reiter said.
It’s noteworthy that the suspect Taisia Osipova is an activist of Other Russia party and the wife of Sergei Fomichenkov, a member of the Executive Committee of the party. She was arrested two years ago and accused of drug trade. However, many experts and the party supporters believe that the prosecurion of Mrs. Osipova is closely connected with her husband’s activity.
Taisia Osipova says that police officers must have planted the drugs on her during her arrest, and she has never been involved in drug trade.
