MOSCOW, April 17. /TASS/. Russian courts convicted 48 people of high treason and espionage in 2023, according to the Russian Supreme Court’s statistics.
The courts handed down guilty verdicts under Russian Criminal Code Article 275 (High treason) to 39 Russian nationals and Article 276 (Espionage) - to nine foreign citizens. Two more people were convicted under Russian Criminal Code Article 275.1 (Cooperation with a foreign state or an international or a foreign organization on a confidential basis).
In 2022, 16 individuals were convicted of high treason and one was convicted of spying.
In 2022, the definition of high treason was expanded, including actions related to switching sides during an armed conflict or participating in combat against the Russian Federation. In June 2023, the punishment for high treason was toughened up to life imprisonment.