Russian State TV Protester Sentenced to 8.5 Years in Absentia

Marina Ovsyannikova, a former state journalist in Russia, has been sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison in absentia for spreading "false information" about the Russian army during her anti-war protest near the Kremlin. She gained international attention for holding up an anti-war sign during a live television broadcast in March 2022. Ovsyannikova, who is currently living outside of Russia, denounced the ruling as politically motivated and stated that she does not renounce her words. Prosecutors had requested a nine-and-a-half-year sentence, and Ovsyannikova had previously been fined for "discrediting" the Russian army.