Kazakh-Armenian student sentenced in Russia on political charges

A Russian court sentenced Kazakhstani national Garry Azaryan to two years in prison on Wednesday on charges of “justifying terrorism,” according to an independent Russian publication Mediazona.

The 23-year-old ethnic Armenian was prosecuted over remarks he made last year at a meeting of socialist activists in St. Petersburg.

During the gathering, Azaryan spoke about class hatred that, in his words, “can possess people at critical moments in history” and about the general public being ready for violence. He argued that the task of left-wing activists is “not to incite hatred, but to explain to people that capitalism is to blame.”

At the same time, he acknowledged that “revolution is an act of violence” and said that “people will take to the streets and will kill; no revolution can avoid this.” Azaryan pleaded guilty in court.

His sentencing comes amid a broader crackdown by Russian law enforcement authorities on students and left-wing organizations.