TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Russian court on Monday opened the trial of a theater director and a playwright accused of advocating terrorism in a play, the latest step in an unrelenting crackdown on dissent in Russia that has reached new heights since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine.
Zhenya Berkovich, a prominent independent theater director, and playwright Svetlana Petriychuk have been jailed for over a year. Authorities claim their play “Finist, the Brave Falcon” justifies terrorism, which is a criminal offense in Russia punishable by up to seven years in prison. Berkovich and Petriychuk have both repeatedly rejected the accusations against them.
Berkovich told the court on Monday that she staged the play in order to prevent terrorism, and Petriychuk echoed her sentiment, saying that she wrote it in order to prevent events like those depicted in the play.
Israel intensifies offensive in Gaza, strikes 120 sites: army
China box office tops 215 mln USD over May holiday, craves more hits
Everybody may love Raymond, but Ray Romano loves Peter Boyle
Xi leaves for state visits to France, Serbia, Hungary
Xi says he enjoys Yugoslav films, songs when young
'China overcapacity' narrative to impact global recovery, green transition: Commerce ministry
Four people killed in a house explosion in southwestern Missouri
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend have funny run