A Moscow court near the Basmanny district court delivered a judgment involving journalist Marina Ovsyannikova. The ruling referenced her support for opposition figure Ilya Yashin, who is among individuals labeled as foreign agents, and her public comments about Russia’s military operation in Ukraine. At the center of the case was Ovsyannikova’s perceived criticism of the army’s actions in the conflict. The court found that she had committed a violation under part 1 of article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses and imposed a 50 thousand ruble fine, as stated by the presiding judge.
The protocol for this case was prepared on July 17, and on the same day Ovsyannikova was detained at her residence in the Moscow region.
On July 15, Ovsyannikova conducted a solo protest on the Sofiyskaya Embankment opposite the Kremlin. Her speech criticized the Russian operation in Ukraine and she accused the authorities of causing the death of innocent children. She arrived at the location carrying a poster, with children’s toys nearby that were smeared with red paint resembling blood. She was not detained during this action on site.
Earlier in the year, on March 14, a journalist entered the Vesti studio during a live broadcast while displaying an anti-war poster. A protocol was drawn up citing the organization of a public event without prior notice under the relevant article. The incident resulted in a fine of 30 thousand rubles for violating the rules governing public gatherings.
Officials weighed in on the matter. On March 15, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on the Channel One broadcast, describing Channel One as a brand that provides high-quality, timely and objective information. He referred to the actions of the journalist as hooliganism and suggested that responsibility lay with the broadcaster rather than the state. In response to questions about whether anti-war protests could be treated as deliberate disinformation, Peskov noted that this was a matter decided by specific departments and bodies.
Earlier in March, Russia enacted a federal law signed by President Vladimir Putin that established criminal liability for disseminating knowingly false information about the Armed Forces and for public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the military to enforce order. The purpose cited was to protect state interests and the safety of citizens.
In a separate development, it was reported that Ovsyannikova left Russia in April and took up work with the German daily Die Welt as a freelance writer focused on events in Russia and Ukraine. The arrangement appeared to be a temporary assignment, with the newspaper indicating the assignment would cover developments in the region during that period. The contract with Die Welt concluded by early July. Upon returning to Russia in early July, Ovsyannikova engaged in a legal proceeding with her ex-husband over parental rights for their daughter. During her three-month stint with Die Welt, two articles bore her byline, reflecting her perspective on the ongoing conflict and related issues.