Russian ex-journalist Safronov gets 22 years in prison for treason

FILE PHOTO: Ivan Safronov, a former journalist and an aide to the head of Russia's space agency Roscosmos who remains in custody on state treason charges, stands inside a defendants' cage as he attends a court hearing in Moscow, Russia August 30, 2022. Press Service of Moscow City Court/Handout via REUTERS

(Reuters) -A Russian court on Monday sentenced a former journalist to 22 years in prison for treason after prosecutors said he disclosed state secrets, a ruling his supporters said was a harsh punishment that showed the absence of media freedom in Russia.

Ivan Safronov, a former defence reporter for the Kommersant and Vedomosti newspapers turned adviser to the head of Russia's space agency, was arrested in 2020 and accused of disclosing classified information.