A Russian court has sentenced the Russian American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva to six-and-a-half years in prison after convicting her of spreading false information about the Russian army. Kurmasheva is an editor with the U.S. government-funded news service Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which called the trial and conviction “a mockery of justice” and demanded Kurmasheva be reunited with her family. Kurmasheva said in a prior courtroom appearance she had not heard her children’s voices in months.

Alsu Kurmasheva: “The last time was in October last year. I don’t have permission to make calls. I have no opportunity to call. I don’t even have the opportunity to correspond. That is, letters by mail take a month and a half.”

Reporter: “And how do you feel?”

Alsu Kurmasheva: “Steadily worse.”