Russian man already jailed for burning Quran copy sentenced to additional 14 years for treason

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - A Russian man who was convicted earlier this year for burning a copy of the Muslims' holy book, the Quran, has been sentenced to an additional 14 years in prison for treason.

Nikita Zhuravel was sentenced to 14 years in a maximum-security penal colony by a regional court in the Russian city of Volgograd, Russian state news agency Tass reported, citing court documents.

However, according to Tass, the Volgograd Regional Court allowed him to appeal the ruling, with Zhuravel's lawyer expressing his client’s intention to do so.

Last month, the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office said in a statement that its Volgograd regional office approved the indictment in the Zhuravel case.

According to those investigating the case, Zhuravel offered his services to a representative of the Ukrainian security service via messenger, the statement said.

“In March 2023, Zhuravel sent him (the representative) video recordings of a train carrying military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces, military aircraft, as well as data on the movement of an official vehicle of one of the military units,” it added.

Earlier in February, Zhuravel received a three-and-a-half-year sentence after being detained in May 2023 for burning a copy of the Quran in front of a Volgograd mosque.