Israeli Woman Sentenced to 3.5 Years in Russia for Small Donation

By הגר אמגר

Translated & summarized from N12 by baba

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Sofia Rosenfeld, an Israeli-Russian citizen, received a 3.5-year prison sentence in Moscow for a donation made in 2021 to Alexei Navalny's organization when it was legal. She canceled the recurring donation after the group was outlawed, but two small payments had already been made. Her family is concerned and hopes an appeal will overturn the sentence, while the Israeli Foreign Ministry is providing consular support.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Sofia Rosenfeld, an Israeli-Russian citizen, was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison in Moscow.
The sentence stems from a donation made in 2021 to Alexei Navalny's organization, which was legal at the time.
Rosenfeld canceled the donation after the organization was outlawed, but two payments had already been processed.
Her father stated the donation amounted to less than 80 shekels and expressed shock at the prison sentence.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry is providing consular assistance to Rosenfeld and her family.

Israeli Woman Sentenced to 3.5 Years in Russia for Small Donation — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Sofia Rosenfeld, an Israeli-Russian dual citizen living in Moscow, has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for donating a small sum to the organization of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The donation, totaling less than 80 shekels (approximately $22), was made via a standing order in 2021 when the organization was still legal. Rosenfeld's father, Boris, told N12 that his daughter set up the standing order while the organization was legal, but canceled it immediately upon returning from work in Siberia in September 2021, after the group was outlawed. However, two payments of about 40 shekels each had already been processed.

Rosenfeld was arrested in late November, two days after returning from a family visit to Israel, and charged with "financing an extremist organization." Her father expressed shock and distress over the harsh sentence, stating that Sofia believed the matter would be resolved with a fine or community service. "We are under tremendous pressure, there are no visits," Boris said, adding that the family's last hope rests on an appeal. He noted that the sentencing occurred on October 7, a date of particular difficulty for Israelis.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed it is in contact with Rosenfeld's family and is working with Russian authorities to provide consular assistance. The family is anxiously awaiting the outcome of the appeal, hoping for a less severe punishment.