Russian journalist who denounced Vladimir Putin over Ukraine war now faces 10-year imprisonment
Marina Ovsyannikova, a former Russian state television journalist who denounced President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, is now accused of disseminating false information about the country's military. If Ovsyannikova is sentenced to 10 years in jail. Born in Ukraine, Ovsyannikova came onto the international scene after organizing an outing in front of a studio camera with an anti-war poster during a live news program on Russia's Channel One.
Marina Ovsyannikova, a former Russian state television journalist who denounced President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, is now accused of disseminating
“A criminal case was started,” said lawyer Dmitry Zakhvatov, adding that they were waiting for investigators to rule on a pre-trial provision for the 44-year-old.
Ovsyannikova was accused of disseminating information about the Russian armed forces which the government found false and spent the night in pre-trial detention, said Zakhvatov.
In a meeting last week, Ovsyannikova expressed hope that the authorities would not put her in protective custody because she has two children. Writing about the Telegram messaging application earlier in the day, Ovsyannikova said that 10 members of the security forces had raided her house at 6:00 a.m. “They frightened my daughter,” she continued.
In March, Ovsyannikova, then editor of Channel One television, rose to prominence when she broke into the set of her lighthouse Vremya (Hour) evening news, carrying a poster reading “No War” in English.
Criticism of Putin’s decision to send troops to Ukraine has been practically banned in Russia, and her protest has made headlines worldwide.
French President Emmanuel Macron offered Ovsyannikova, who worked for the Russian state television for 19 years, asylum.