All articles tagged with #anti war
An 18-year-old Russian street musician, Diana Loginova, known as Naoko, has been jailed for the third time for performing anti-war songs, amid Russia's crackdown on dissent related to the Ukraine invasion. Her performances, which support exiled artists opposing the war, have sparked protests and solidarity videos, but also led to repeated arrests and short jail sentences under broad censorship laws.
In St. Petersburg, 18-year-old street musicians Diana Loginova and Alexander Orlov have been detained for the third time in a month for performing anti-war songs and organizing unsanctioned gatherings, facing charges including discrediting the Russian military, amid ongoing government repression of dissenting voices.
Hundreds of young people in St Petersburg protested against Putin by singing banned anti-war songs, including 'Swan Lake,' leading to arrests and highlighting restrictions on free assembly in Russia amid international sanctions and geopolitical tensions.
Hideo Kojima, the influential game designer known for his innovative and provocative approach since 1987, is now communicating more clearly than before, though his core message and impact on video game storytelling and anti-war themes remain consistent.
Anti-war candidate Boris Nadezhdin has been barred from running in Russia's presidential election due to allegedly falling short of the required number of signatures, further clearing the political landscape for Vladimir Putin. Nadezhdin, who openly opposes Putin's policies and challenges the invasion of Ukraine, has disputed the claims and plans to appeal. This move reflects the sidelining of political opponents in Russia, where presidential elections are seen as a formality showcasing Putin's popular approval. Another anti-war candidate, Yekaterina Duntsova, was also rejected previously, raising concerns about the targeting of political opposition in the country.
The Russian rock band Bi-2, known for criticizing Putin's invasion of Ukraine, was detained in Thailand for working without a permit, sparking concerns of Kremlin's influence beyond its borders. The band's lead singer, labeled a "foreign agent" by Russian authorities, has fled to Israel, while the rest remain in a cramped migration prison. Calls from former U.S. ambassador to Russia and activist Bill Browder urge the U.S. State Department to pressure Thailand not to deport the band members to Russia, where they could face persecution. Human Rights Watch warns that those without dual citizenship could be at risk if deported to Russia.
Boris Nadezhdin, a former opposition lawmaker, is running a long-shot campaign to challenge Vladimir Putin for the Russian presidency by harnessing the anti-war sentiment among Russians. He aims to end Russia's war in Ukraine and has garnered considerable support, needing 100,000 signatures to be registered as a candidate. Critics speculate his candidacy suits the Kremlin for PR reasons, but Nadezhdin remains confident and aims to change the country by promoting peace and freedom.
Anti-war protesters in Durham, North Carolina, caused a traffic standstill on the Durham Freeway during the evening commute, urging people to call their representative to end the war. The protest, organized by the Jewish Voice for Peace, lasted for nearly three hours before the group complied with police orders to disperse. While some drivers expressed support for the cause, others felt that city resources could have been better utilized elsewhere.
The lengthy ordeal of a Russian anti-war activist, Peter Nikitin, at the Serbian border raises concerns for other Kremlin critics residing in Serbia, according to independent Serbian and Russian analysts. Nikitin, who has organized protests against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, was denied entry into Serbia and held in the transit zone of Belgrade's airport for over 24 hours before finally being allowed through passport control. This incident, the first of its kind in Serbia since over 100,000 Russians opposed to the war moved there, sends a troubling signal to Nikitin and fellow activists. Analysts suggest that the Serbian leadership and security services may take legal action against any Russian citizen whose activism displeases Moscow, potentially at the request of the Kremlin or Russia's security services.
A Moscow confectioner, Anastasia Chernysheva, who was fined for making cakes decorated with anti-war slogans, plans to keep opposing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine despite harassment from pro-war figures and the risk of jail. If convicted a second time under the country’s wartime censorship laws, Chernysheva could be sent to prison for up to seven years. The Kremlin has rapidly expanded a crackdown on dissent since the invasion of Ukraine last year, which has not only led to the jailing of opposition politicians, activists and journalists, but also hundreds of ordinary people opposed to the war.
Kremlin documents obtained by an undisclosed European intelligence agency reveal that Russia attempted to influence German public opinion to oppose support for Ukraine and become more hostile toward the West. The documents recorded meetings between Kremlin officials and Russian political strategists about how to unite elements in the Left Party and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) behind a common, pro-Moscow cause. The strategists were tasked with discrediting the European Union, the United States, Britain, and NATO, and convincing Germans that they were being harmed financially by sanctions against Russia. Both parties rejected the report.
Alexei Moskalyov, who fled to Belarus after his daughter drew an anti-war picture at school, has been extradited back to Russia. He was sentenced to two years in a penal colony for discrediting the Russian army on social media, but his defense team and rights activists argue he was actually punished for his daughter's drawing. Belarus, which has closely aligned itself with Russia, handed over Moskalyov to Russian authorities.
Belarus has extradited a Russian man, Alexei Moskalyov, who was sentenced to two years in prison for "discrediting" the Russian army after his daughter drew anti-war pictures at school. Moskalyov's daughter was placed in a children's shelter after his arrest. The case was criticized by Russian human rights groups and led to an online campaign to reunite father and daughter. Moskalyov is likely to spend the next two years in a Russian jail and is at risk of losing parental rights in a separate trial.
A Russian girl who was taken away from her father after she drew an anti-war picture at school has been handed to her estranged mother, authorities say. Her father Alexei received a jail sentence as a result of the drawing, but his whereabouts are unknown. Masha was placed in care after her father was arrested in March. The mother has been estranged from the family for at least seven years, but it is not clear why.
A Russian girl who was sent to an orphanage after drawing an anti-war picture has been collected by her mother who has not lived with the family for at least seven years. The girl's father was convicted of discrediting the armed forces and given a two-year jail term, leaving his daughter Maria, or Masha in the diminutive, in the hands of the state as her mother had lost all contact with her daughter. Children's Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova said she had spoken to the girl and to her mother, named Olga.