Marina Ovsyannikova May Face Jail for Anti-Russia Messages

Marina Ovsyannikova May Face Jail for Anti-Russia Messages. 

On Tuesday, a Moscow court fined marina Ovsyannikova 30,000 rubles ($280) for crashing a live television broadcast on Monday with a sign bearing anti-war statements. 

However, according to a Russian state news outlet report, she could still face extra punishment, possibly a prison sentence.

After interrupting a broadcast on Channel One, Russia’s central state television station, Ovsyannikova made news worldwide. 

The news host tried to speak over Ovsyannikova, who spoke out against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military attacks on Ukraine. 

Following her protest, media outlets discovered Ovsyannikova’s identity and the fact that she worked at the station and had posted a video message on social media earlier in the day condemning the war.

MORE: Volodymyr Zelensky is looking to compromise with Russia to stop the war.

The fee was predicated on an administrative penalty for breaking the country’s protest rules, similar to a misdemeanor in the United States. 

However, the Russian news outlet TASS stated that she could face more charges.

According to TASS, the Russian Investigative Committee has begun a preliminary investigation into Ovsyannikova’s behavior to see if she infringed a new rule approved following the Ukrainian invasion that punishes “fake news” reporting with harsh consequences. 

Anyone found guilty of breaching the legislation could face a prison sentence of up to 15 years.

The other inquiry is ongoing, according to Sergei Badamshin, a human rights attorney managing Ovsyannikova’s case, and more accusations could be filed. 

According to NPR, Badamshin said that the administrative allegation that resulted in her fine stemmed from an earlier social media video, not from her interrupting the TV show.

Russia’s new censorship law makes it illegal to transmit material that contradicts the government’s narrative about the “special military operation” in Ukraine. 

Words like “war” and “invasion” are forbidden under the law when referring to the attacks in Ukraine. 

Those found guilty of breaching the legislation face harsh fines and up to 15 years in prison.

Though Putin has not officially commented on Ovsyannikova’s protest, reporters questioned his spokesperson Dmitry Peskov about the incident on Tuesday. “This is hooliganism in regards to this girl,” he stated.

Others have applauded her, including Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, who hailed Ovsyannikova during his daily video address on Monday for her deeds.

“I am grateful to those Russians who never give up trying to get the truth out, who combat misinformation and speak the truth to their friends and families. 

And, specifically, to the young lady who entered Channel One’s studio with a pro-war banner, “According to Zelensky.” 

To those who are not frightened to protest, now is the time to do so before your country completely isolates itself from the rest of the world, transforming into a massive North Korea. You must fight; you must not squander your opportunity.”