A Russian military court has sentenced a theater director to eight years in prison for anti-war comments that include calls to kill President Vladimir Putin, the independent news website Mediazona reported Thursday.
Anastasia Berezhinskaya, 43, was accused of “discrediting” and spreading “false information” about the Russian military, as well as “justifying terrorism,” in a series of posts on the Russian social network Vkontakte.
Berezhinskaya accused Russian soldiers of killing civilians and destroying cities in the first months following the full-scale invasion of February 2022. Referring to Putin, she wrote: “Destroy that bastard. Wipe him off the face of the Earth.”
In court, Berezhinskaya pleaded partially guilty, but denied that her comments about Putin were a genuine call to murder the Kremlin leader, Mediazona reported.
Moscow has denied targeting civilians throughout the nearly three-year war it insists on calling a “special military operation.”
“Your honor, I have nothing to say, nothing to add. I will accept any decision you make,” Berezhinskaya was quoted as saying before the verdict.
Moscow’s 2nd Western District Military Court found Berezhinskaya guilty and sentenced her to eight years in prison. Prosecutors had requested a 10-year prison sentence.
According to a counter on Vkontakte, some of Berezhinskaya's posts had been viewed just 60-130 times as of Thursday. Russia has blocked access to her page inside the country.
Mediazona reported that Berezhinskaya has two children aged eight and 10 and has been diagnosed with a personality disorder, which did not require compulsory treatment and did not prevent her from standing trial.
AFP contributed reporting.
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.
