Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

International News

Russia’s TV journalist faces imprisonment for anti-Putin protest

#Russias #journalist #faces #imprisonment #antiPutin #protest

Russian investigators on Wednesday launched a criminal probe into Marina Ovsyannikova, who denounced President Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine on live TV, and arrested the journalist, her lawyer said.

In mid-July, Ovsyannikova staged a one-woman protest near the Kremlin, holding a placard that read “Putin is a murderer, his soldiers are fascists.”

Three “blood-soaked” toy dolls were placed on the floor in front of her.

If convicted, she now faces up to 10 years in prison.

“A criminal case has been launched,” lawyer Dmitry Zakhvatov told AFP, adding that they are waiting for investigators to decide on a pre-trial measure against the 44-year-old.

Ovsyannikova has been accused of spreading information about the Russian armed forces deemed false by the government and will spend the night in custody, Zakhvatov said.

In an interview with AFP last week, Ovsyannikova had expressed hope that the authorities would not take her into custody because she has two children.

Earlier in the day, Ovsyannikova wrote via messaging app Telegram that 10 law enforcement officials searched her home at 06:00 (0300 GMT).

“You scared my little daughter,” she added.

In March, Ovsyannikova, then an editor at Channel One, shot into the limelight when she stormed onto the evening news set of the flagship Vremya (Time) with a poster that read “No War” in English.

Criticism of Putin’s decision to send troops to Ukraine was effectively banned in Russia, and their protest made headlines around the world.

French President Emmanuel Macron has offered asylum or other forms of consular protection to Ovsyannikova, who worked for Russian state television for 19 years.

Putin launched the attack on Ukraine after a historic crackdown on the opposition, with leading Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny imprisoned and his political organizations banned.

Authorities are now trying to erase the last traces of dissent, and almost all known activists are now in prison or out of the country.

Earlier this year, prominent Putin critics Ilya Yashin and Vladimir Kara-Murza were remanded in custody for denouncing Moscow’s Ukraine offensive.

The criminal investigation against Ovsyannikova was launched after two Moscow courts fined the journalist for discrediting the Russian army on various occasions.

She wrote on Telegram on Wednesday that more than 350 children had already died in Ukraine.

“How many children have to die before you stop?” She added.

– ‘Unenviable’ –

In the months following her TV protest, Ovsyannikova spent some time abroad, working for the German newspaper Die Welt for three months.

In early July, she announced she would return to Russia to resolve a custody dispute over her two children.

Since her return, Ovsyannikova has supported opposition politician Yashin in court and published anti-government posts online. In mid-July she was briefly arrested by the police near her home.

While many welcomed Ovsyannikova, her TV protest in March also drew hostile reactions from many quarters.

Some members of the Russian opposition have accused her of disembarking in an opportunistic move and seeking glory.

Anti-Kremlin satirist and commentator Viktor Shenderovich said on Wednesday he was wrong about Ovsyannikova.

“I was skeptical about what Channel One editor Marina Ovsyannikova did – and it turns out I was wrong,” he wrote on Facebook.

“Today, Marina is paying a heavy price and deserves both respect and support.”

Ovsyannikova told AFP last week that her fate was “unenviable” but that she would continue to speak out.

“I have no intention of stopping, I am not afraid despite the constant intimidation from the authorities.”

Social Tags:
#Russias #journalist #faces #imprisonment #antiPutin #protest

You May Also Like

Business

State would join dozens of others in enacting legislation based on federal government’s landmark whistleblower statute, the False Claims Act

press release

With a deep understanding of the latest tech, Erbo helps businesses flourish in a digital world.

press release

#Automotive #Carbon #Canister #Market #Projected #Hit #USD New York, US, Oct. 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  According to a comprehensive research report by Market...

press release

Barrington Research Analyst James C.Goss reiterated an Outperform rating on shares of IMAX Corp IMAX with a Price target of $20. As theaters...