The United States condemned Karelinova’s 12-year imprisonment for treason. They said it was just a cruel act of revenge.

On Thursday, the White House condemned a Russian court’s decision to sentence Russian-American Xenia Karelinova to 12 years in prison for treason after she made a small donation to a pro-Ukrainian charity, according to AFP.

Karelinova, who holds Russian and American citizenship, was previously guilty of treason for donating less than $52 to a pro-Ukrainian charity, according to Russian authorities.

“This is nothing but retaliatory cruelty. We’re talking about donating $50 to try to ease the suffering of the Ukrainian people, and to call that treason is absolutely ridiculous,” said John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, adding that the United States would press for her release.

The FSB claims that Karelinova committed treason by providing financial assistance to foreign countries for activities targeting Russian security shortly after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. She also participated in several protests against the war in Ukraine.

Karelinová donated the money in 2022 to the New York-based Razom organization, which provides aid to Ukraine. According to the Russian Federal Security Service, the ultimate recipient of the aid was the Ukrainian army. Karelinová admitted her guilt at a hearing last week.

In her case, Washington has also accused Moscow of arresting Americans on baseless charges in order to subsequently use them as bargaining chips for the release of Russians convicted abroad.

On Thursday, the Moscow court also decided to keep another American citizen, Joseph Tater, in pretrial detention until October 14. Tater was detained in Moscow this weekend for disturbing public order.

He was accused of assaulting a female police officer and faces up to five years in prison. On Wednesday, a Moscow court sentenced him to 15 days in jail for minor disorderly conduct, Reuters reported.