A military court in Moscow has sentenced a 43-year-old woman to eight years in a penal colony for posting anti-war comments online, including threats against President Vladimir Putin.
Anastasia Berezhinskaya, a theatre director and mother of two, was convicted on charges of discrediting the Russian army, spreading false information, and justifying terrorism.
According to rights group OVD-Info, over 1,000 individuals have faced criminal prosecution in Russia for opposing the war in Ukraine, with more than 20,000 detained for protests. This case reflects the increasing crackdown on dissent in the country.
Berezhinskaya had been vocal against the conflict since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, accusing the Russian government of committing “genocide” against Ukrainians.
On May 14, 2022, she posted multiple times on the social media platform VKontakte, condemning Putin and attributing the deaths of civilians to his actions.
Her posts became increasingly aggressive, with statements calling for Putin’s assassination, asking, “Shoot that stupid bastard Putin, how many more murders of civilians do we have to bear?” Despite her admission of guilt regarding some charges, she only partially accepted responsibility for justifying terrorism.
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Reports indicate that Berezhinskaya suffers from a mixed personality disorder and has two children aged eight and ten.
In her final statement to the court, she expressed resignation to the judge’s decision, saying, “I will accept any decision you make.”
As of now, it remains unclear if she will appeal the sentence.
