The Russian state-controlled Channel One journalist, Marina Ovsyannikova, who protested against Russia’s war in Ukraine midway into a prime-time news broadcast risks up to 15 years in prison, her lawyer said Tuesday.
The PUNCH reported that Ovsyannikova interrupted a live broadcast Monday evening, holding up a poster reading “No War”, denouncing the war in Ukraine.
It was a highly unusual event in Russia where state media is strictly controlled, the AFP reports.
According to the AFP, Ovsyannkova’s lawyer, Daniil Berman, said she would face a criminal charge for her action.
“I expect that my client, Marina Ovsyannikova, will face not an administrative charge but a criminal one under the new law which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in jail,” Berman said.
The PUNCH earlier reported that those who break the laws, which forbid the use of the words “war” or “invasion” instead of referring to the conflict as a “special military operation,” face up to 15 years in prison.
