An employee of a Russian television station who went missing after she protested the government’s war with Ukraine on the air has been found, her lawyers indicated on Tuesday.
Marina Ovsyannikova was the editor at Russia’s state-run Channel 1 station on Monday. interrupted a live broadcast of the country’s most-watched news program by holding up a sign with anti-war language and yelling “Stop the War” over the words of the station’s anchor.
Her sign included the words “No War,” and “Don’t believe the propaganda, they’re lying to you here.”
Ovsyannikova, who was filming the anchor, quickly switched to stock footage and she was immediately taken into custody. Following her arrest, her lawyers released a video statement explaining why she felt compelled to take action; in it, Ovsyannikova explained that she is “deeply ashamed” to have worked for the station, as it produced “Kremlin propaganda” that she disagreed with.
A female employee of a Russian TV channel protests live against war
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— News 7 Agency (@News7Agency) March 15, 2022
A spokesperson for the Russian government later tried to downplay Ovsyannikova’s protest as “hooliganism.” But on Tuesday, it appeared that the Kremlin was taking her supposed offense seriously, as Ovsyannikova briefly went missing, according to her lawyers, who said they could not locate their client.
Later, Ovsyannikova, along with one of her lawyers Anton Gashinsky, proved that she was not missing by sharing a photo of themselvesIn a Moscow court, social media.
Ovsyannikova’s arrest highlights the dangers that Russian residents face in standing up to President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. There is a growing need for assistance. Anti-war movement within the countryProtests have erupted in dozens Russian cities over the last three weeks.
These protests were responded to by the Kremlin authorities by arresting and detaining people. The Russian government made it illegal to protest its invasion of Ukraine at the beginning of the month; those who were found guilty of illegally protesting this war were sentenced. —You can also independently report on it — Face up to 15 years in prison.
As of last week, around 13,000 Russians had been arrested by the country’s police for speaking out against the invasion.
