# Russia: journalist Ivan Safronov is sentenced to 22 years for treason

Published 2026-09-23. Last reviewed 2026-09-22. 2 sources.

Status: in effect, as of 2026-09-22.

What we don't know: The source reviewed does not identify the specific classified information authorities said Safronov shared or the foreign country he was accused of spying for.

A Russian court sentenced military correspondent Ivan Safronov to 22 years in prison for treason, accusing him of spying for a foreign state, in a case his supporters linked to his 2019 reporting on Russian arms sales to Egypt.[1][2][3]

- Country: [Russia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/ru) (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)
- Where: Russia
- Level of government: National
- Tactic: Secrets and espionage laws
- Stage: Eliminate (ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/secrets_and_espionage_laws#stage-eliminate)
- Ladder note: A journalist received a 22-year sentence for treason in a case linked to his own earlier reporting, far longer than any credential, licensing or fine-based restriction.
- Head of government at the time: [Vladimir Putin](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/vladimir-putin)
- Issue of the day: Safronov had reported for the newspapers Kommersant and Vedomosti on Russian military affairs, including 2019 coverage of a planned sale of fighter jets to Egypt, before taking a communications role at Russia's space agency.
- Outcome: Ongoing, September 5, 2022. Safronov received a 22-year sentence and planned to appeal; the source reviewed does not report a ruling on any appeal.
- Era: The 2020s

## What happened

On September 5, 2022, a Moscow court sentenced Ivan Safronov, a former military correspondent for the newspapers Kommersant and Vedomosti, to 22 years in prison for treason, along with a fine of 500,000 rubles and two years of restricted freedom after release, with eligibility for parole after 14 years. Authorities accused Safronov of spying for a foreign country, but reporting on the case indicated that the classified material he was accused of sharing was already publicly available, and press freedom groups said the prosecution was tied to his 2019 reporting on a planned Russian sale of fighter jets to Egypt, published while he still worked as a journalist. Safronov had been held since his arrest in July 2020 and, as of the sentencing, planned to appeal. The Committee to Protect Journalists' program director, Carlos Martinez de la Serna, said the sentence was unacceptable for a man guilty of no crime other than doing his job as a journalist.[1][2][3]

Safronov was sentenced to 22 years and planned to appeal; the source reviewed does not report the outcome of any appeal.[3]

## What reason was given

Not stated in the sources reviewed as a public account of the specific classified material at issue; authorities accused Safronov of spying for a foreign country under Russia's treason law.[1][2][3]

## What changed for reporting

A journalist who had reported on Russian military affairs received one of the longest sentences imposed on a Russian journalist in the post-Soviet period, in a case linked by press freedom groups to his earlier reporting rather than any later state role.[1][2][3]

## Timeline

- 2022-09-05: Russia: journalist Ivan Safronov is sentenced to 22 years for treason

## Who acted

| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Vladimir Putin](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/vladimir-putin) | other | President of Russia |

## Outlets and journalists

| Name | Kind | Relation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Kommersant](https://thewaronnews.com/outlets/kommersant) | outlet | affected |
| [Vedomosti](https://thewaronnews.com/outlets/vedomosti) | outlet | affected |
| [Ivan Safronov](https://thewaronnews.com/journalists/ivan-safronov) | journalist, Kommersant | affected |

## Sources

1. CPJ dismayed by 22-year sentence for Russian journalist Ivan Safronov. https://cpj.org/2022/09/cpj-dismayed-by-22-year-sentence-for-russian-journalist-ivan-safronov/ (Committee to Protect Journalists, 2022-09-05).
2. Russian ex-journalist Safronov gets 22 years in prison for treason. https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/russian-ex-journalist-safronov-gets-22-years-prison-treason-2022-09-05/ (Reuters, 2022-09-05).

## Claims cited

[1] The court sentenced Safronov to 22 years in prison plus a fine and restricted freedom after release. Quote: "The 22-year prison sentence for Ivan Safronov, guilty of no other crime than doing his job as a journalist, is simply unacceptable" Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2022-09-05. CPJ dismayed by 22-year sentence for Russian journalist Ivan Safronov. https://cpj.org/2022/09/cpj-dismayed-by-22-year-sentence-for-russian-journalist-ivan-safronov/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/588, checked 2026-09-22.

[2] Safronov worked as a military correspondent for Kommersant and Vedomosti before the charges. Quote: "Safronov worked as a military correspondent for Kommersant and Vedomosti newspapers." Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2022-09-05. CPJ dismayed by 22-year sentence for Russian journalist Ivan Safronov. https://cpj.org/2022/09/cpj-dismayed-by-22-year-sentence-for-russian-journalist-ivan-safronov/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/589, checked 2026-09-22.

[3] Safronov had been detained since July 2020 and planned to appeal the sentence. Quote: "Safronov has been detained since July 2020 and plans to appeal." Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2022-09-05. CPJ dismayed by 22-year sentence for Russian journalist Ivan Safronov. https://cpj.org/2022/09/cpj-dismayed-by-22-year-sentence-for-russian-journalist-ivan-safronov/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/590, checked 2026-09-22.

Source page: https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2022-russia-safronov-treason-sentence. The War On News, CC BY 4.0.