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Court upholds verdict for Other Russia activist sentenced to 8 years for drug sale

Prosecutors had asked the court to leave the charges unchanged, but noted that the jail term should be reduced

SMOLENSK, November 7 (Itar-Tass) — The Smolensk regional court on Wednesday upheld the verdict for Other Russia activist Taisia Osipova, sentenced to eight years for sale of drugs.

Prosecutors had asked the court to leave the charges unchanged, but noted that the jail term should be reduced.

The activist's lawyers said they would appeal the ruling.

In December 2011, Smolensk's Zadneprovsky court found Taisia Osipova guilty of drug sales "in especially large amount" sentencing her to ten years in jail. The ruling was protested at the regional court and on August 28, the district court reduced the sentence to eight years. The prosecutor had asked to sentence the defendant to four years.

The ruling on the 8-year jail term was protested both by Osipova's lawyers and the prosecutors.

At a meeting between the then President Dmitry Medvedev and students of the department for journalism, the Lomonosov Moscow State University, in January 2012, the president was asked about Taisia Osipova's case. Medvedev replied he was "ready to request the case materials" and ordered prosecutors to analyze it once again.

He also he would consider her pardon plea. Taisia Osipova is the wife of member of Other Russia's executive committee Sergei Fomchenkov.

Her lawyer believes she was arrested because of her husband's political activity, but police flatly denied it.

Various actions have been staged in support of Osipova.

Her lawyers criticized the court for not taking in to account her having a small child and a bad illness record.

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