Putin Cracks Down On Media, Orders Arrest Of Journalist Who Flashed Anti-war Message

Putin has ordered the arrest of a TV journalist who flashed an anti-war message during a live broadcast.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that a court in Russia has granted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s request for the arrest of Marina Ovsyannikova, six months after she flashed a sign on television saying the Kremlin was lying about the Ukraine war.

The broadcast journalist could face a decade in prison under the rules on spreading false information approved by parliament, which came into force after Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

Marina Ovsyannikova

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Ms Ovsyannikova’s lawyer confirmed she had already left the country.

Interfax quoted court officials as saying: “With regard to Ovsyannikova, the court ordered her held in custody for one month and 29 days, imposed from the moment the accused is extradited to the Russian Federation or from the moment of her arrest in the Russian Federation.”

They added that the court had allegedly refused a request a few weeks ago from investigators to issue an arrest warrant.

Security forces already raided Ms Ovsyannikova’s home back in August.
She had previously been subjected to house arrest for supposedly spreading false information about the armed forces after staging a one-person protest near the Kremlin.

Ms Ovsyannikova, who was born in Ukraine, said she fled as she has no case to answer to.

In March, the journalist burst onto the studio platform of Russia’s First Channel television during a live broadcast holding a sign saying “No war. Stop the war.”

Initially, she was fined for her display.
Her lawyer Dmitry Zakhvatov told AFP: “Ovsyannikova and her daughter left Russia a few hours after departing from the address where she was under house arrest.
“They are in Europe now.”

While Mr Zakhvatov confirmed they were “under the protection of a European state”, he did not specify which one.

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He claimed the revelation may “turn out to be a problem” for her, according to Reuters.
However, according to Mr Zakhvatov and her son remain in Russia.

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