Aโ Russian street musicianโ was foundโ guilty on Thursday of โฃ”discrediting” the Russian army after performing songs critical of โthe Kremlin’s military actions in ukraine, state news agency TASS reported. Yulia โTsvetkova,22,received aโฃ suspendedโข sentence and is barred from publishing content online,according too the report.
The case highlights the intensifyingโฃ crackdown on dissent in Russia following the invasion of ukraine,were even subtle criticism of the military canโค lead to severe penalties. Tsvetkova’s โคconviction underscores the risks faced byโค artists and individuals expressing anti-war sentiments within the country,โ as authoritiesโข broaden the scopeโ ofโ lawsโ restricting speech deemed harmful to the armed forces.
Tsvetkova was accused โคofโ publicly expressing views aimed at discrediting the use of Russia’s โคarmed forces, โa crime โขpunishable by up to three years in prisonโข under legislation passedโข shortly after โtheโ start โขof the โconflict in Ukraineโ in February 2022. the musician, โwho performed in public spaces and โposted videos online, played songs containing anti-war lyrics and โcriticized the government’s actions.
The court in St. Petersburg found Tsvetkovaโข guilty and sentenced herโ to a suspended sentence of two years, TASS reported.โ She is also prohibited from publishingโค contentโ online. Tsvetkova had previously been fined forโ similar offenses, andโ this conviction represents an escalation of the legal pressure against her.
The “discrediting” law has been widely used toโ silence opposition voices andโค suppress self-reliant reportingโ on the war in Ukraine. Numerous journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens have faced fines, arrests, and imprisonment for expressing views that diverge from the official Kremlin narrative. Human rights groups โhave โคcondemned โthe law as aโ violation of freedom of speech and expression.