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. |
How major US stock indexes fared Friday, 5/3/2024Judge denies pretrial release of a man charged with killing a Chicago police officerVegas use of injured reserve prompts questions about salary cap. Other NHL teams do same thingBradley Cooper the doting dad holds hands with daughter Lea De Seine, sevenBritney Spears' sister Jamie Lynn Spears isn't bothered by Toxic singer branding her a 'b***hBritney Spears' sister Jamie Lynn Spears isn't bothered by Toxic singer branding her a 'b***hSia files to legally change her name one year after marrying second husband Dan BernadArsenal keeps up Premier League title push with 3King Charles takes on more than 200 new patronages from late QueenMachete attack victim, 19, 'murdered by two 12