Russian justice strikes again at Marina Ovsyannikova, the journalist who interrupted a live broadcast last March with a poster about the war in Ukraine; an action that Vladimir Putin’s government has banned in his country since the start of an invasion – what they call a “special military operation” – in a neighboring country. This time, the court ruled that the journalist be placed under house arrest.
The court ruling, which will remain in effect until October 9 in principle, is part of a case against Ovsyannikova over the alleged disclosure of false information about the armed forces, official Russian news agencies report. The verdict comes two days after police raided his home. According to the OVD-Info portal, police proceedings are being conducted as part of a criminal case that the authorities initiated against their client after a three-fold fine, said the journalist’s lawyer Dmitry Zayvatov, specifying that the case was initiated to disseminate “false” information about the actions of the Russian Army.
On Tuesday, a court imposed a new fine of 40,000 rubles (about 650 euros) on a reporter for criticizing the conflict on social media. In particular, according to her lawyer, she was convicted of “discrediting” the army. Under Putin’s laws, she faces up to 15 years in prison. “It was all very absurd,” criticizes the 44-year-old reporter.
This latest punishment is added to the two previous economic sanctions imposed. In late July, the Meshchansky District Court of the Russian capital imposed a fine of 50,000 rubles (just under 800 euros) on her, finding her guilty of slandering the Armed Forces. And months earlier, another 30,000 rubles (about 255 euros) for “organizing a public event without permission.”
Ovsyannikova, who worked for Channel One at the start of the offensive, interrupted the live broadcast on March 14 with a banner protesting the conflict, despite the Kremlin barring journalists from talking about the “invasion” or even the war. “. – Not to the war. End the war. Do not believe the propaganda. Here they are lying to you. The Russians are against the war,” his poster read. She was briefly arrested for this act, although the consequences for the journalist have not yet ended.
Source: El Correo
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