Russian Court Sentences American Citizen to 15 Years in Prison
December 24, 2024, 12:24 pm

Russian Court Sentences American Citizen to 15 Years in Prison

أمريكا وروسيا

A Russian court issued a 15-year prison sentence on Tuesday for American citizen Gene Spector in a espionage case whose details remain unclear, according to Russian news agencies.

The ruling, reported by the RIA Novosti agency, stated that Spector will serve his sentence in a "strict regime penal facility." Additionally, the court imposed a fine of 14 million rubles, equivalent to approximately 134,000 euros.

So far, the trial has been conducted in closed sessions, with only limited details disclosed regarding the charges against Spector.

In the context of the Russian military operation in Ukraine that began in February 2022, many Westerners, particularly Americans, have been detained in Russia, often facing serious charges without clear evidence.

Gene Spector, who has Russian roots, had been sentenced in September 2022 to three and a half years in prison for corruption in a case involving former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich.

In 2023, Russian authorities announced that he was also accused of espionage, to which he pleaded guilty and entered into a cooperation agreement with investigators. Due to the case's confidentiality, no further information has been disclosed.

According to the TASS news agency, Spector was born and raised in Russia before settling in the United States and obtaining American citizenship. He served as the chairman of the board of the Russian company Medpolimerprom Group.

On August 1, Russia and Western countries executed the largest prisoner exchange since the end of the Cold War, which included American journalist Evan Gershkovich and former Marines among those exchanged after being released by Moscow.

Rumors suggest there may be another prisoner exchange between the West and Russia before or after Donald Trump's arrival in the White House in January.

In early November, a Moscow court upheld a 12-and-a-half-year prison sentence for American-Russian citizen Robert Woodland, who was detained in January in a drug-related case. Another American citizen, 72-year-old Stephen Hubbard, was sentenced to seven years for acting as a mercenary for Ukraine.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”