A Moscow court has sentenced journalist Daria Shipacheva to 12 years in prison after convicting her of treason, according to Mediazona.
The trial took place behind closed doors and reportedly lasted about 90 minutes.
According to the science publication T-Invariant, the case stemmed from a money transfer Shipacheva made to a family member in Ukraine.
The outlet, citing unnamed sources close to the journalist, reported investigators reinterpreted the transfer as evidence supporting treason charges.
However, Russian authorities have not publicly confirmed those reported details.
Shipacheva was arrested in April 2025 and initially transferred to a detention facility in Rostov-on-Don.
She was later moved to Moscow’s Lefortovo prison before the conclusion of her trial.
According to reports, Shipacheva’s family and her court-appointed lawyer chose not to disclose details about the proceedings.
A friend reportedly said the journalist initially opposed public attention because she feared receiving a harsher sentence.
However, the same source claimed Shipacheva later requested journalists attend her sentencing hearing.
Independent outlet Sotavision published a video that reportedly showed her reacting to the court’s verdict.
During the proceedings, Shipacheva’s legal team requested a lighter sentence because she pleaded guilty and cooperated with investigators.
Between 2019 and 2025, Shipacheva worked as a freelance medical journalist for Forbes Russia and several other media outlets.
T-Invariant also reported that members of the banned ultra-nationalist group Male State previously targeted her with online harassment over her feminist views.
Meanwhile, exiled news outlet Vyorstka reported Russian courts convicted a record 312 people on treason, espionage and related national security charges during the first half of 2026.
