Russia has arrested a journalist for the Russian edition of Forbes magazine for reposting on social networks in connection with accusations of Russian atrocities in the Ukrainian city of Bucha, his lawyer and Forbes said on Friday.

Rights groups say hundreds of Russians have been arrested, fined and jailed for criticizing Russia's offensive in Ukraine under tough military censorship laws.

Russian authorities have particularly targeted people for comments about Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv where Russian troops have been accused of mass killings of civilians.

Moscow has rejected the accusations and accused Kyiv and the West of staging scenes of civilian deaths and evidence of torture.

“Sergei Mingazov has been detained and is being held in a temporary detention facility” in the Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk, the journalist’s lawyer, Konstantin Bubon, wrote on his Facebook page.

He faces up to 10 years in prison on charges of spreading “false information,” Bubon said.

“In short, for reposting the publication about the events in Bucha” on the Telegram channel,” he added.


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