"Bestselling Russian Writer Arrested for Expressing Support for Ukraine"
A Moscow court has ordered the arrest of bestselling writer Boris Akunin on charges of "justifying terrorism" after he was pranked into expressing support for Ukraine on a phone call. The prank, orchestrated by pro-Kremlin activists, led to Akunin being added to Russia's register of "extremists and terrorists." This move has resulted in the suspension of his books by a leading Russian publisher. The case exemplifies the Russian authorities' persecution of dissent, with over 19,000 Russians arrested for speaking out against the war in Ukraine. Additionally, allies of Alexei Navalny reported that the opposition politician had been placed in solitary confinement in a remote Arctic penal colony where he is serving a 19-year sentence.
