According to the court, on February 24, 2022, the same day that Russia invaded Ukraine, she made a donation to a Ukrainian organization that used the money for equipment and weapons for the war against Russia.
Her supporters say she donated $51.80 to Razom, a New York-based volunteer organization that provides humanitarian aid to children and the elderly in Ukraine.
Razom denies that they give money to military activities.
Karelina was sentenced in the same court by the same judge who sentenced journalist Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison for espionage in July. He was released in connection with a prisoner exchange two weeks ago.
Charged with treason
33-year-old Karelina was born in Russia, but has lived in the USA since 2012.
The former ballet dancer became an American citizen after marrying an American in 2021, and she was first detained by the FSB security service in January when she traveled to Yekaterinburg to visit family.
Just before she was due to return to the US, she was re-imprisoned for 15 days on charges of “hooliganism” and then charged with treason.
Her employer in Los Angeles, Ciel Spa at the SLS hotel in Beverly Hills, writes on Facebook that the accusations against her are false.
Went through the mobile
The problems started for her when the Russian authorities realized that she also had an American passport. During the interrogation, they went through her mobile phone and discovered that she had given money to Razom two years earlier.
Spokesman for the US National Security Council, John Kirby, calls the verdict and punishment “nothing short of vindictive cruelty”.
– We are talking about 50 dollars to alleviate the suffering of the Ukrainian people. To call it treason is completely ridiculous, he says.
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2024-08-16 02:52:38
