A Smolensk court has sentenced political activist Taisiya Osipova – a member of the unregistered Other Russia Party – to eight years in prison.

      Osipova, 28, was arrested on November 25, 2010 on suspicion of drug dealing after police found nine grams of heroin in her house in Smolensk. On December 29, 2011, she was sentenced to ten years in a penal colony.

      The case was widely criticized by the Russian opposition who staged a number of protests in Taisiya's support. The convict herself always denied any involvement into drug trafficking and claimed that her sentencing was a revenge for her own political activity.

      In February this year, the Smolensk regional court revoked the sentence and ordered a new trial, which led to the sentence, which is much harsher than that requested by the state prosecutor, who only sought four years behind bars for Osipova.

      The leader of the Other Russia Party – the long-time dissident and writer Eduard Limonov – said the verdict is “not only politically-motivated, it’s also revenge" and also promised to do everything possible to get the sentence reduced or cancelled. Osipova's defense attorneys will appeal the verdict with a higher-up court.