Russia: Journalist and blogger given nine-year sentence for speaking out against the war - CFWIJ calls for charges to be dropped
Location: Russia, Moscow
Date: February 8, 2023
Russian journalist and food blogger Veronika Belotserkovskaya was sentenced to nine years in prison in absentia. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is alarmed by the Russian government’s use of “fake news” laws to criminalize and silence journalists. All charges against her should be dropped immediately.
On February 6 a Moscow court sentenced Veronika Belotserkovskaya to nine years in prison. The journalist was tried in absentia as she is currently living in France. The cookbook author is also banned from running websites for five years after her sentence. Belotserkovskaya has been a vocal opponent of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Reacting to the news on Instagram Belotserkovskaya said she is "on one hand, perplexed, and on the other hand, of course, proud."
Veronika Belotserkovskaya was one of the first figures charged under Russia’s military information law last March. The law introduced jail terms of up to fifteen years for people who publish “fake” information about the military. This law has been used to persecute those who report on the war including Siberian journalist Maria Ponomorenko who is in detention awaiting sentencing.
Russia's Investigative Committee claims that from March to April 2022, she published three Instagram posts containing “deliberately false information” about the bombing of a maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, and the killing of civilians in Bucha. Belotserkovskaya also spoke out against the actions of the Russian authorities on her Instagram account.
After she was charged, Belotserkovskaya told The Guardian, “I am not a political person, I am speaking out as a mother of three sons. Ukrainian children are dying, it is not possible to stay quiet.”
Veronika Belotserkovskaya is a popular journalist, blogger, and cookbook author. She was the founder of St Petersburg online lifestyle magazine Sobaka. Her Instagram account has over one million followers. In January 2023 her assets were seized by authorities including property in Moscow and St. Petersburg worth over 2 million US dollars. She has transferred ownership of Sobaka to her employees but continues to voice her criticism of the war on social media.
Russian journalists are under severe pressure from state authorities. The government has enacted laws to censor information and imprison those who do not comply. The Coalition For Women in Journalism condemns the Russian government’s attempt to destroy freedom of the press. We offer our support and solidarity to journalists in Russia who are continuing to report despite the danger.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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