Metro Author Convicted (In Absentia) By Russia For Condemning Ukraine Invasion

A Moscow court has sentenced Russian writer Dmitry Glukhovsky, author of the science fiction novel Metro 2033 and its sequels, to eight years in prison. According to the Associated Press, Glukhovsky was found guilty of deliberately spreading false information about Russia's armed forces.

Glukhovsky was tried in absentia and is currently not in Russia. This move is part of an ongoing crackdown on dissent in the country. The sentence comes after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent passing of a bill that imposes prison terms of up to 15 years for disseminating "fake" information that contradicts the Russian government's narrative on the conflict. Glukhovsky was found guilty of posting texts and videos on his social media platforms, accusing Russian servicemen of committing crimes in Ukraine, which Russian prosecutors labeled as fake.

In 2022 Glukhovsky was added to Russia's federal wanted list after demanding an end to the Ukraine war. Despite not residing in Russia, Glukhovsky was accused of discrediting the Armed Forces via an Instagram post urging, "Stop the war! Recognize that this is a war against an entire nation and stop it!"

Last year, RadioFreeEurope reported that Glukhovsky has criticized Russia for its ongoing unprovoked invasion of Ukraine since it began, with a Telegram post that reads, "The war in Ukraine, unleashed by Putin, is becoming more terrible and inhuman every day, and the pretexts under which it was started look more and more insignificant and false."

Glukhovsky was the first major cultural figure to be targeted by the country's new law, which highlights the broader trend of curbing dissenting voices in Russia's current political climate.

His novels are the source material for 4A Games' Metro first-person shooter series, which currently stands at three games.