A hairdresser from St. Petersburg, Anna Alexandrova, has been sentenced to five years and two months in prison on charges related to spreading alleged fake news about the Russian army. Alexandrova was convicted for posting eight anti-war messages on social media, which she claims were fabricated claims brought forth by a neighbor in a personal dispute over land. The tension escalated when the neighbor reportedly complained to authorities after Alexandrova sent her daughter images from the war in Ukraine.
Russian Hairdresser Sentenced to Over Five Years for Alleged Anti-War Posts
Russian Hairdresser Sentenced to Over Five Years for Alleged Anti-War Posts
A St. Petersburg hairdresser received a prison sentence, accused of spreading fake news about the Russian military amid a crackdown on dissent.
In the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the government enacted laws criminalizing the spread of disinformation about the military, thus intensifying a broader crackdown on dissenting voices within the country. Over the past months, hundreds of critics and opponents of the Putin administration have faced imprisonment and repression. In a related incident, four journalists were sentenced to five and a half years for collaborating with an "extremist organization," as their work was associated with an anti-corruption group linked to Alexei Navalny, who tragically passed away while imprisoned in a penal colony last year.
The campaign against dissent in Russia has led to citizens reporting one another, echoing oppressive tactics of the Soviet era. Alexandrova’s arrest, which occurred in November 2023, stemmed from her posts shared via anonymous accounts on the social network VKontakte. As reported, her legal representative suggested that the case began as a neighborhood dispute that transformed into a significant legal issue. Alexandrova’s labor to fight local environmental destruction initially aligned her with her neighbor, but their deteriorating relationship led to allegations that culminated in her sentencing.
Despite her defense denying that she's shared images from the conflict with her neighbor, the court ruled against her. As part of her sentence, she is prohibited from posting any material related to the matter for a subsequent three years. In a parallel situation, the lawyers for a Moscow councillor, Alexei Gorinov, who was sentenced under the same "fake news" law, have filed a complaint arguing that the law is being misused to silence genuine criticism and dissent, under the pretense of maintaining public order.
The campaign against dissent in Russia has led to citizens reporting one another, echoing oppressive tactics of the Soviet era. Alexandrova’s arrest, which occurred in November 2023, stemmed from her posts shared via anonymous accounts on the social network VKontakte. As reported, her legal representative suggested that the case began as a neighborhood dispute that transformed into a significant legal issue. Alexandrova’s labor to fight local environmental destruction initially aligned her with her neighbor, but their deteriorating relationship led to allegations that culminated in her sentencing.
Despite her defense denying that she's shared images from the conflict with her neighbor, the court ruled against her. As part of her sentence, she is prohibited from posting any material related to the matter for a subsequent three years. In a parallel situation, the lawyers for a Moscow councillor, Alexei Gorinov, who was sentenced under the same "fake news" law, have filed a complaint arguing that the law is being misused to silence genuine criticism and dissent, under the pretense of maintaining public order.
