The former deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Ilya Ponomarev threatens life imprisonment. This was reported by TASS with reference to the Center for Public Relations of the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia.
According to the FSB, a criminal case has been instituted against Ponomarev under Art. 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (forcible seizure of power or forcibly deduction of power), as well as under Part 1 and part 2 of Art. 205.4 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of the terrorist community and participation in it).
The maximum sanction on charges of participating in the terrorist community provides for 15 years in prison. On charges of violent seizure of power or forcibly withheld the authorities of the former deputies threatens the maximum punishment of imprisonment up to 20 years.
The basis for initiating a new criminal case was data on Ponomarev’s establishment in November 2022 in the Poland of the Political Movement “Congress of People’s Deputies” (SND), the activities of which in April 2023 were recognized as undesirable in the country’s territory. The FSB reported that investigative actions are being carried out in relation to Ponomarev and his accomplices.
Ponomarev was already convicted in absentia in Russia, he was arrested in absentia and put on the wanted list. The defendant of the case himself in his speeches on Ukrainian television has repeatedly stated that he is a member of the fighting on the side of Ukraine against the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.