Russia demands 24-yr sentence for ex-journo in espionage trial

Moscow, Aug 31 (IANS) The prosecution in the espionage trial of former Russian journalist Ivan Safronov has demanded a 24-year prison sentence, a court in Moscow said.According to investigators, the 32-year-old shared confidential information about arms deals and operations of the Russian armed forces in Africa and the Middle East to foreign intelligence services, reports dpa news agency.Safronov's lawyer rejected the accusations at the start of the trial and explained that the journalist had only used publicly accessible sources.Safronov was arrested more than two years ago and has been in prison ever since.He used to write about military and security issues for the newspapers Kommersant and Vedomosti. Before his arrest, he also worked for the Russian space agency Roscosmos.According to a lawyers' association, a representative of the prosecution offered Safronov the prospect of 12 years in prison if the former journalist admitted his guilt.
--IANS ksk/

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