A Moscow court has sentenced a student to 10 days in jail after he renamed his WiFi network with a pro-Kyiv slogan during the military offensive in Ukraine, the RIA Novosti news agency reported on Saturday.
The student at Moscow State University replaced the name of the network from his WiFi router with Slava Ukraini ("Glory to Ukraine"), the rallying cry of Ukraine's forces.
The court found him guilty of a "public demonstration of Nazi symbolics... or symbols of extremist organizations," RIA Novosti said.
It added that a police officer had reported the network name to authorities.
Since the Russian offensive was launched in February 2022, officials have issued thousands of prison terms or fines against people publicly criticizing the action or showing support for Ukrainian forces.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.