In a series of actions that underscore the Russian government's intensifying crackdown on free expression and dissent, several individuals and entities have been targeted for their anti-war stance. Darya Kozyreva, an 18-year-old activist, faced legal repercussions for her anti-war posts and poetry, highlighting the government's brutal assault on free speech. Similarly, a 72-year-old woman, addicted to social media, was sentenced to 5.5 years in jail for reposting anti-war content on social media, after her cousin in Dnipro was injured in a Russian strike. Adding to the crackdown, Novaya Gazeta's editor-in-chief, Sergey Sokolov, who took over for Muratov last September, was arrested in Moscow by anti-extremism officers on charges of “discrediting” the Russian army, concerning an article published by the newspaper. The case led to a fine of 30,000 rubles ($328) for a Telegram post from the newspaper about the Russian authorities convincing orphans to join the war in Ukraine. Bill Browder commented on the situation, stating, "Putin’s repression is picking up steam. It’s starting to feel like 1937," referencing the beginning of Stalin’s purge.
Editor-in-chief of top Russia newspaper Novaya Gazeta arrested for ‘discrediting’ military https://t.co/PcV3hWu7lN https://t.co/q0FoBkNgkm
Update: A Moscow court has fined Novaya Gazeta chief editor Sergey Sokolov 30,000 rubles ($328) for “discrediting” the Russian army over a Telegram post from the newspaper about the Russian authorities convincing orphans to join the war in Ukraine. https://t.co/I8waXwp0OA https://t.co/C1cE0FMWiV
⚠️ RUSSIA DETAINS NEWSPAPER EDITOR ON DISCREDITING ARMY CHARGES - MEDIA (Reuters) Russian authorities on Thursday detained journalist Sergei Sokolov, the editor of Novaya Gazeta, on charges of discrediting the army, the newspaper and Russian state media reported. Novaya Gazeta… https://t.co/PboVWALwUy
Novaya Gazeta editor-in-chief Sergey Sokolov arrested on charges of ‘discrediting’ Russian army. Putin’s repression is picking up steam. It’s starting to feel like 1937 (the beginning of Stalin’s purge) https://t.co/Cb2OF4ouBa
"Anti-extremism" officials in Moscow have arrested Novaya Gazeta editor-in-chief Sergei Sokolov (who took over for Muratov last Sept) for a misdemeanor "discrediting the military" offense in one of the newspaper's articles. https://t.co/hDFElUUG3g
Novaya Gazeta editor-in-chief Sergey Sokolov has been arrested in Moscow by anti-extremism officers on charges of “discrediting” the Russian army. The case reportedly concerns an article published by the newspaper. https://t.co/I8waXwp0OA
Monstrous story even by recent Russian standards. A lonely 72-year-old woman in provinces gets addicted to social media. After her cousin in Dnipro is injured in a Russian strike, she reposts 2 anti-war items on her profile. She gets 5.5 years in jail. https://t.co/8EjQ0JSZ9c
The case against Darya Kozyreva, an 18-year-old activist, is a brutal assault on free expression. For anti-war posts and pasting poetry, she was made the latest example in the Russian gov’s civil society crackdown. https://t.co/kNzovLiwW3