On 30 August 2024, Russian independent media reported that the editor-in-chief of Altay independent newspaper LIStok, Sergey Mikhailov, was sentenced to 8 years in prison on charges of distributing false information about the Russian armed forces. He was also banned from engaging in journalistic and editorial activities for four years.

The charges against Mikhailov are related to posts made about war crimes committed by the Russian army in Bucha and related to Russia’s bombing of civilian buildings in Mariupol, which were published on the outlet’s website and Telegram channel. Mikhailov alleged that following his arrest in April 2022, authorities threatened him with physical violence. A regional court in Gorno-Altaysk, Altay region, placed Mikhailov in pre-trial detention.

UPDATE: On 8 July 2022, a court in Gorno-Altaysk again extended Mikhailov’s arrest. The editor-in-chief of LIStok is set to remain in custody until September 15.

UPDATE: As of January 2023, journalist Sergey Mikhailov remained in pre-trial detention.

UPDATE: On 7 April 2023, a court in Gorno-Altaysk returned Mikhailov’s case to the local prosecutor’s office due to alleged numerous errors in the accusation documents. However, the journalist remained in pre-trial detention.

UPDATE: On 20 May 2023, the Supreme Court of Altay accepted a local prosecutor’s request to examine the case again. The case against Mikhailov was transferred to a court of first instance.

UPDATE: On 14 June 2023, a court in Gorno-Altaysk opened proceedings in Mikhailov’s case. The session was adjourned with the journalist remaining under arrest.

UPDATE: On 15 September 2024, a court in Gorno-Altaysk extended Mikhailov’s arrest to December 21.

UPDATE: On 26 July 2024, prosecutors in the case asked judges to sentence Mikhailov to nine years in prison on charges of disseminating “fake news” about the Russian army, as well as to issue a ban on the journalist working in his profession and administering websites.