Russian double agent sentenced in absentia to 25 years in prison

[Lars77]

Source: The Guardian

A Russian double agent who fled to the US after betraying the espionage ring which included Anna Chapman has been convicted in absentia and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Alexander Poteyev was found guilty of state treason and desertion.

Both Chapman and Poteyev's wife, Marina, appeared as witnesses during the trial, and in its judgment the Moscow district military court revealed that he had sent a plaintive text message to the latter after leaving Russia, saying: "Mari, try to take this calmly: I'm not going away for a while, I'm going away forever. I did not want to, but I had to. I will start a new life. I'll try to help the children."

Chapman, 29, and nine other sleeper agents known as "illegals" were captured last year in America after they had been under US intelligence surveillance for several years. They were later swapped for four men imprisoned in Russia who had allegedly spied for MI6 and the CIA. An 11th agent was arrested in Cyprus but then skipped bail and disappeared.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/27/russian-double-agent-tried-absence

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Well, back in the old days the punishment would've been more severe.

[Kaleva]

1. In the old days, they would have executed him in absentia

:)

[ImNotTed]

2. I knew this

O8)

[BadtotheboneBob]

3. Re: the punishment would've been more severe

Indeed... Col. Oleg Penkovsky, GRU, who informed the US about the Soviet missiles in Cuba as a CIA 'asset' in 1962 was reportedly executed by being fed feet first into a furnace as a warning to other potential traitors.