Russian Anton Chechin Sentenced in Georgia

A Georgian court has handed Russian activist Anton Chechin an eight-year, six-month prison sentence on charges of large-scale drug possession, Orda.kz reports, citing the Georgian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Chechin rejected the verdict, insisting the case was politically motivated. He argued that prosecutors pursued him because of his opposition to what he described as Georgia’s “pro-Russian authorities.”

Chechin was arrested in December 2024 at the home where he was staying. He claims the real reason for his detention was his role in demonstrations in Tbilisi.

His wife, Manana Samkharadze, told Paper Kartuli that Chechin was a regular presence at protests in the Georgian capital and had already faced detentions and fines. Before relocating to Georgia in 2022, he also took part in demonstrations in Russia.

In 2021, the European Court of Human Rights ordered Moscow to pay him €4,000 for unlawful arrest during a rally, according to The Insider.

Radio Liberty notes that several other activists detained last December face similar drug charges, including Giorgi Akhobadze, Tedo Abramov, Nika Katsiia, and Russian citizens Anastasia Zinovkina and Artem Brigul.