Pskov court sentences Belgian passport holder to 16 years for treason

The Pskov Regional Court in Russia has sentenced Mikhail Loshchinin, a Russian national with Belgian citizenship, to 16 years in a strict regime penal colony for treason. The man was detained at the Russian border in summer 2025 while visiting his ill father. Loshchinin holds a Belgian passport.

The Pskov Regional Court in Russia has sentenced Mikhail Loshchinin, a Russian national with Belgian citizenship, to 16 years in a strict regime penal colony on charges of treason. The man was detained at the Russian border in summer 2025 after entering the country to visit his ill father.

Loshchinin's case is one of several high-profile detentions in Russia in recent years, in which individuals holding foreign citizenship have been charged with crimes related to espionage or treason. His Belgian passport provided no protection against Russia's security services, who detained him at the border crossing.

The treason provision has become an increasingly common charge in Russia in recent years, used against both foreign nationals and Russian citizens living abroad. Such cases typically proceed behind closed doors, and the defendants' legal options remain limited.