Russian journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, renowned for her bold on-air protest against the Ukraine war, has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison in absentia by a Russian court. The court found her guilty of spreading false information regarding the actions of the Russian Armed Forces.
Additionally, she has been prohibited from operating social media accounts for four years. Notably, Ovsyannikova was not present during the sentencing, as she left the country last year while evading house arrest, accompanied by her 11-year-old daughter.
In a statement issued prior to her sentencing, the Russian journalist denounced the charges against her as absurd and driven by political motivations. Her actions made international headlines in March 2022 when she interrupted a live broadcast of Vremya, a prominent Russian news program, to express her protest against Russia’s military involvement in Ukraine. Subsequently, she was arrested, detained without access to her legal counsel, fined 30,000 rubles (equivalent to $280 at the time), and later released.
Marina Ovsyannikova had been employed by Channel One Russia, contributing to Vremya, a key evening news show, for an extended period starting in the early 2000s. She later described her role as one of producing Kremlin propaganda.
As of February 2023, it was revealed that Ovsyannikova had managed to escape to Paris, France, along with her daughter. This move further complicated her legal situation in Russia, as she became a fugitive from the Russian justice system. Her lawyer has confirmed her relocation to Europe, marking a significant turn of events in this high-profile case.