Dimitri Glukhovsky became world famous for his dystopian science fiction series Metro. Today he is in exile in a secret location after criticizing the war in Ukraine. In practice, the sentence means that he cannot return to his home country.
"They force me into exile while trying to teach everyone who remains in Russia and are wondering if they should dare to tell the truth a lesson," he says.
According to the verdict, he has spread "false information" about the Russian army on Twitter, Glukhovsky himself says he has told the truth about the war in Ukraine.
"I shared information about what was going on in Butya, Irpin, Mariupol and Kharkiv. I said that Vladimir Putin is responsible for the war. I called the war a war," he says, calling the verdict political theater.
"I'm not a politician, I'm a writer. The only thing a writer can do is call a spade a spade. And that's what I've done and I definitely don't regret it.
Propaganda and lies
In recent weeks, several intellectuals have been convicted or charged with criticism of the war, in addition to Glukhovsky, including political scientist and dissident Boris Kagarlitsky. According to Glukhovsky, it is a sign that Russian propaganda about the war in Ukraine is no longer working properly.
"The so-called justice system is more active when it feels weak. Then you need to strengthen your lies by punishing those who tell the truth. When you punish journalists, intellectuals and political activists, you punish society's ability to think clearly. That is what it is all about.
Glukhovsky is one of many writers now forced into exile, and is not hopeful for Russia's future.
"Today, Russian society is demoralized and civil society is destroyed. People don't think they can change anything, either with their actions or words. Many have chosen to sit quietly and keep their fingers crossed that they will not affect them.