The Russian Commission of Inquiry, responsible for investigating serious crimes in Russia, said 44-year-old Maria Ponomarenko was found guilty of “spreading false information,” the military said.
This crime, begun after the attack on Ukraine began, was used several times to sentence those openly critical of the conflict to heavy prison terms.
The journalist was sentenced by a court in Barnaul, in Siberia’s Altai Krai, where he worked for the information site RusNews.
According to the expert NGO OVD-Info, the reporter is under investigation because in March 2022, shortly after the February 24 attack, he posted a message on Instagram condemning the bombing of a theater in Mariupol, Ukraine, which was then surrounded by Ukraine. Russian army.
Ponomarenko was arrested in St. Petersburg in April and later transferred to Barnaul. His lawyer claims his mental health deteriorated during his detention and he wanted to be transferred to a psychiatric hospital, but to no avail.
According to OVD-Info, he broke the glass in his cell in September because he said it was too opaque and could not see the sun or sky. As punishment, he was taken to the disciplinary chamber for a week.
Source: Ultimahora
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Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
