A Moscow military court sentenced 43-year-old theater director Anastasia Berejinskaia to eight years in a penal colony.
Anti-War Comments
She was convicted of posting anti-war comments online, including calls for the assassination of President Vladimir Putin.
Berejinskaia, a mother of two, was found guilty of violating Russia’s wartime censorship laws, according to Hotnews.
The charges included discrediting the Russian military, spreading false information about its actions, and justifying terrorism. Her sentence reflects the Kremlin’s crackdown on dissent since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
According to OVD-Info, a human rights organization, over 1,000 individuals have faced criminal charges in Russia for opposing the war, and more than 20,000 have been detained during protests.
Earlier this week, a Moscow court sentenced a 68-year-old pediatrician to 5.5 years in prison for anti-war remarks, following a public denunciation by a patient’s parent.
Online Posts Targeting Putin
Berejinskaia began posting anti-war messages in the early months of the invasion, accusing the Russian military and government of committing genocide in Ukraine.
On May 14, 2022, she posted over 30 messages on VKontakte, Russia’s equivalent of Facebook.
Her posts accused Putin of personally bearing responsibility for civilian deaths in Ukraine, including those found under rubble from destroyed apartment buildings.
As the day progressed, her rhetoric escalated. She called for Putin’s death, writing, “Shoot that idiot Putin. How many more crimes against civilians must we endure?” In another post, she urged, “Erase him from the face of the earth.”
Berejinskaia reportedly suffers from bipolar disorder, according to court documents cited by the independent Russian outlet Mediazona. She has an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old child, as well as a husband with epilepsy.
In her final statement to the court, she said, “Your Honor, I have nothing to add. I will accept whatever decision you make.”
