Over 100 Russian doctors have penned an open letter, calling for the immediate release of an artist and musician sentenced to seven years in prison for swapping supermarket price tags with anti-war messages. The letter, addressed to President Vladimir Putin, warns that prison time could lead to a significant deterioration in the artist’s health and demands the release of Sasha Skochilenko.
Skochilenko, diagnosed with severe chronic diseases, was arrested in April 2022 in St. Petersburg and charged with spreading false information about the war in Ukraine with her anti-war messages. The Russian court sentenced her on Thursday, sparking outrage among the medical community.
The artist did not deny the accusations of spreading knowingly false information, but her arrest came shortly after a law was adopted criminalizing any public expression deviating from the official Kremlin line. This legislation has led to a widespread crackdown on opposition politicians, human rights activists, and ordinary citizens critical of the Kremlin, resulting in lengthy prison terms for many.
Despite spending nearly 19 months in pre-trial detention, Skochilenko’s seven-year sentence will be reduced by more than two years. However, her health has significantly deteriorated while in custody due to a congenital heart defect, bipolar disorder, and celiac disease.
Russia’s most prominent human rights group, Memorial, has declared Skochilenko a political prisoner, emphasizing the crackdown on dissenting voices since the start of the war in Ukraine. According to rights group OVD-Info, nearly 20,000 Russians have been arrested for speaking out or demonstrating against the war between February and October 2022. This case reflects the ongoing suppression of free expression and dissent in Russia.
