Russia Punishes Journalist Whose Protests Garnered Media Attention

A former state TV journalist has been sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison by a Moscow court. Marina Ovsyannikova, known for her protest against Russia’s war in Ukraine, was charged with spreading false information about the Russian army. She staged a demonstration near the Kremlin in July 2022, holding a powerful sign highlighting the deaths of innocent children due to the war. This comes as part of a larger crackdown on dissent in Russia since the invasion of Ukraine.

Ovsyannikova previously worked for Channel One, one of Russia’s most popular national TV stations. In March 2022, she made international headlines when she appeared behind the anchor of a Channel One news broadcast with a sign urging viewers to stop believing the propaganda surrounding the war. She resigned from her position at the channel and was fined for disparaging the Russian military. After escaping to France with her daughter, Russian authorities placed her on a wanted list, resulting in her prosecution and trial in absentia.

Since the invasion began, over 8,000 Russians have faced charges for speaking out against or protesting the war. The OVD Info human rights and legal aid group reports that over 700 people have been implicated in criminal cases. Russian authorities have also targeted opposition figures, human rights activists, and independent media using legislation that prohibits criticism of the military operation in Ukraine. This has led to the sentencing of top critics to lengthy prison terms, forced closures of rights groups, and the blocking of independent news sites. Many independent journalists have fled the country to avoid prosecution, with those who remain facing trial and imprisonment in absentia. This crackdown marks an unprecedented level of suppression in post-Soviet Russia.

(Read more Marina Ovsyannikova stories.)