‘Your Honor, have you no shame?’ Khabarovsk ex-governor Sergey Furgal, sentenced to 22 years in prison, denies his charges.

The former Khabarovsk governor Sergey Furgal, sentenced to 22 years in a high-security prison on contract killing charges disputed by Furgal himself and his legal team, condemned the Moscow court for the verdict it issued today.

“The verdict is clear,” Furgal said to the judge. “Here’s what I don’t understand, your Honor: Have you no shame?”

Another defendant in the case, Andrey Karepov, seconded Furgal in shaming the judge. Karepov has been sentenced to 21 years in prison. Two other defendants, Andrey Paley and Marat Kadyrov, were sentenced to 17 and 9.5 years respectively.

Earlier this month, a jury found Sergey Furgal guilty of organizing two murders and a murder attempt. His legal team is preparing to appeal today’s court decision.