16 November 2024
OVD-Info is a Russian civil society organisation that monitors politically motivated arrests and prosecutions in Russia. Each week OVD-Info publishes a bulletin with the latest news, which is translated here. To receive the mailing in Russian, visit here.
The Duma has passed a ban on ‘childfree propaganda’ and has developed a bill to set up special bank accounts for ‘foreign agents’; paediatrician Nadezhda Buyanova has been sentenced to five and a half years’ imprisonment for ‘fake news’ about the war; and Moscow resident Anastasia Berezhinskaya has been given an eight-year sentence for anti-war comments online
News
Duma adopts ‘childfree propaganda’ bill in final reading The legal definition of ‘childfree propaganda’ will be wide-ranging, extending to content on the internet, the media, film and adverts intended to ‘promote the conscious lifestyle choice not to have children.’ Fines for breaching this law will be 400,000 roubles for individuals and up to five million roubles for companies and holders of public office. Being found guilty of breaching this ‘childfree propaganda’ ban can also result in websites being blocked and films losing their distribution certificate. Social media networks will be obliged to actively seek out and remove such ‘propaganda’ as well. The law also states, however, that the ‘promotion of monasticism’ will not be viewed as ‘childfree propaganda.’
- Why is this important? The state is trying with all possible methods to increase the country’s birth rate – and choosing the least effective methods for it. Instead of raising payouts for having more children or increasing access to affordable housing, the civil service is introducing new bans on things. ‘The ban is reported to be intended to “preserve and strengthen traditional Russian spiritual and moral values,” but in reality, it is just another censorship law,’ commented OVD-Info Valeriya Vetoshkina on the law being introduced. We invited sociologist Olga Yusupova for an interview on our YouTube channel ‘How it is Now’ to discuss the government’s motives for banning ‘childfree.’
Moscow paediatrician sentenced for anti-war comments made at a hospital appointment 68-year-old Nadezhda Buyanova has been sentenced to five and a half years in a penal colony for ‘spreading fake news about the army,’ allegedly motivated by political and national hatred. These charges were initially pressed based on accusations by a woman named Anastasia Akinshina attended an appointment with the paediatrician for child. According to Akinshina, Buyanova described the death of her husband in the war as ‘Ukraine’s lawful objective,’ adding that ‘Russia attacked Ukraine first and Russian soldiers kill innocent civilians.’ Buyanova denies this conversation taking place.
- Why do I need to know this? OVD-Info lawyer Eva Levenberg believes this case to be different to most other cases based on prosecution for ‘fake news’ about the war. ‘This case is not a standard case like all the others that have been before it and are happening at the moment,’ she claimed. Levenberg points out that this case was initiated on the specific order of the head of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Aleksandr Bastrykin, ‘[upon whom] the case relied entirely for its prosecution.’
Moscow woman sentenced to eight years for anti-war and anti-Putin comments on the VKontakte social media site Anastasiya Berezhinskaya has been found guilty on three criminal charges: spreading ‘fake news’ about the war (based allegedly on political hatred), repeated discreditation of the Russian army, and supporting terrorism. Used as evidence against her were a range of comments she made accusing Putin of treason, genocide, criminality and war crimes; comments taken by the prosecution to be calling for Putin’s assassination; and anti-war comments, including one that says: ‘Your fucking armed forces have destroyed half Ukraine and ground innocent civilians, women and children into meat.’ The prosecution recommended that she be given a ten-year term of imprisonment.
- Why is this important? Anastasiya Berezhinskaya’s case was completed in one sitting, with her being sentenced the following day. She has two children, aged eight and ten, and a husband diagnosed with epilepsy. Despite the prosecution seeing this, as well as her partial admission to the charges made, her husband’s health issues, and the family’s difficult financial situation as mitigating circumstances, this did not stop him from demanding such a harsh sentence for her – or the court from giving a sentence not much less severe.
State Duma introduces white paper on ‘foreign agent accounts’ If this becomes law, ‘foreign agents’ will no longer be eligible to receive royalties or fees from Russia. Any income or bonuses afforded to ‘foreign agents’ from intellectual property will be registered in a special account. They will only be able to access to this money once the ‘foreign agent’ status is removed.
- Why do I need to know this? The repressive legislation affecting ‘foreign agents’ gets worse every year; policy makers are always thinking of new ways to make life ever harder for their political opponents. ‘The “foreign agent” accounts bill will be like “financial handcuffs” on people whose views diverge from the official “party line”,’ commented Eva Levenberg, an OVD-Info lawyer. She added that this system would be very demanding from an administrative perspective, leading potentially to more rights- and finance- related burdens for businesses. The vague and unclear instructions on the opening and running of the accounts also threatens arbitrary sanctions.
Features
‘Nature is being destroyed’: Moscow police and construction companies fight against environmental activists A blow to the head with a spade, getting charged for an offence by the police for observing tree-felling in a park, being asked by the police: ‘Why are you protecting the environment? Who needs it?’ Two days of unpleasant stories from environmental activists in various parts of Moscow and Moscow region, all described in our new article.
Translated by Oscar Seecharan
