Russian Artist Receives 7-Year Prison Term for Ukraine Supermarket Protest
RSS/AFP
Published 2023 Nov 17 Friday
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Moscow: Russian artist Alexandra Skochilenko has been sentenced to seven years in prison for disseminating disinformation about the army. The charges stem from an incident where she replaced supermarket price tags with slogans criticizing Russia's offensive in Ukraine.
The verdict, announced by Judge Oksana Demiasheva, prompted outcries from Skochilenko's supporters in the courtroom. Shouts of "shame" and expressions of solidarity such as "we're with you Sasha" filled the room, as reported by an AFP journalist present at the sentencing.
Skochilenko's act of protest, using supermarket price tags to convey criticism of Russia's actions in Ukraine, has resulted in a severe legal consequence, raising concerns about freedom of expression and dissent within the country. The seven-year prison sentence underscores the challenges faced by those expressing opposition to government policies in Russia.
