Colleagues decry 22-year jail term for Russian ex-journalist

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STORY: Ivan Safronov, a former defense reporter for the Kommersant and Vedomosti newspapers turned adviser to the head of Russia's space agency, was arrested in 2020 and accused of disclosing classified information.

Safronov's lawyers said they would appeal the verdict. His supporters say the case is retribution for his reporting which exposed details of Russia's international arms deals.

Speaking outside the courtoom, Safronov's former colleague, Arina Borodina, said the sentence was unprecedented.

"In our country, maniacs and pedophiles are not given this many years as they've given Vanya (Ivan) Safronov - a good journalist, a decent person. Just unprecedented."