Russian journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, who staged an on-air protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has been sentenced to 8.5 years in prison by a Moscow court. The 45-year-old was convicted in absentia for “spreading knowingly false information” about the Russian armed forces and had fled Russia with her daughter after escaping house arrest. She called the charges “absurd.” Russia’s legislation prohibits calling the war an “invasion,” and many individuals have faced imprisonment or fines for criticizing the country’s military actions. Ovsyannikova’s protest near the Kremlin in July 2022 featured a sign reading “Putin is a murderer. His soldiers are fascists.” Her whereabouts are currently unknown, and she has characterized the charges as politically motivated.

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