US journalist Masha Gessen is convicted in absentia in Russia for criticizing the military

U.S. journalist and author Masha Gessen was convicted in absentia by a Russian court of spreading false information about the military and sentenced to eight years in prison. The Moscow-born Gessen, a staff writer for The New Yorker who lives in the U.S., is a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Gessen was put on a wanted list in December for statements made to a blogger about atrocities in the Ukrainian town of Bucha. Ukrainian troops who retook Bucha from retreating Russian forces found at least 400 bodies of men, women and children, with some showing signs of torture. Russian officials have vehemently denied their forces were responsible.