American jailed in Russia for illegally transporting weapons

WorldPolitics
19 Jan 2026 • 9:27 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • An American citizen, Charles Wayne Zimmerman, has been sentenced to five years in a Russian prison.
  • He was convicted of illegally transporting weapons after a rifle was discovered on his yacht in Sochi in June.
  • Russian customs officials found the weapon during an inspection upon his arrival at the Black Sea port.
  • Zimmerman claimed he had purchased the firearm for self-defence and was unaware it was prohibited on his vessel.
  • He is one of several Americans currently held in Russian custody, with no immediate comment from US officials on his conviction.

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