Russian TV Journalist Fined For On-Air Ukraine War Protest
A Russian TV journalist has been fined for on-air Ukraine war protest.
A video grab taken on March 15, 2022 shows Russian Channel One editor Marina Ovsyannikova holding a poster that reads, “Stop the war. Don’t believe the propaganda. Here they are lying to you”, during Russia’s most-watched evening news broadcast in Moscow on March 14.
She was fined 30 000 roubles ($280) on Tuesday, a court said, after the Kremlin denounced her act of protest as “hooliganism”.
Marina Ovsyannikova, a Channel One employee, was found guilty of flouting protest laws, the court said.
It was not immediately clear if she could also face other, more serious charges. Her lawyer was not immediately reachable for comment.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, citing human rights violations by the Kyiv government against pro-Russian separatist groups. invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine denies the allegations.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters:
As far as this woman is concerned, this is hooliganism. The channel and those who are supposed to will get to the bottom of this.
After the hearing, Ovsyannikova told reporters she was exhausted, had been questioned for more than 14 hours, had not been allowed to speak to her relatives and was not provided with legal assistance.
She said she needed to rest before commenting further.
Her protest had stirred fears among her sympathisers that she could be prosecuted under new legislation that carries a jail term of up to 15 years.
More: France24
