Maria Ponomarenko, a Russian journalist serving a six-year prison sentence for criticizing the war in Ukraine, has declared a hunger strike, according to reports from her publication and a supporter and Ziare.
Hunger Strike Over Mistreatment
The 46-year-old reporter was detained shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 for accusing Russian forces of bombing a theater in Mariupol.
In February of the previous year, Ponomarenko was found guilty by a court in her hometown of Barnaul in western Siberia for spreading false information about the Russian military. She now faces additional criminal charges for allegedly attacking prison guards.
Ponomarenko’s hunger strike, which was declared during a recent court hearing, comes amidst reports of severe mistreatment in prison. Supporter Iulia Galiamina, a former Moscow city council member, described Ponomarenko's condition as dire.
Galiamina, who has attended court sessions in Barnaul, noted that Ponomarenko has expressed extreme despair and even suicidal thoughts.
20,000 People Arrested
The situation highlights the broader issue of repression against independent journalists in Russia.
Since the invasion of Ukraine, over 20,000 people have been arrested in Russia for opposing the war, according to the human rights monitoring group OVD-Info. While many are quickly fined and released, independent journalists often face harsher penalties.
The case of Ponomarenko is part of a larger crackdown on dissent. Recently, Sobesednik, one of the last independent newspapers in Russia, suspended publication after being labeled a "foreign agent" by the Russian Ministry of Justice.
