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.
Saudi Arabia is going to sponsor the WTA women's tennis rankings under a new partnership
Bangladesh mulls to suspend services of Facebook, YouTube: minister
NASA's Europa Clipper survives environmental testing to prepare for launch in October
Supreme Court rejects an appeal from a Canadian man once held at Guantanamo
Eurozone inflation further cools in March
Pakistani president expresses condolences to Chinese citizens killed in terrorist attack
6 North Sea nations to jointly protect offshore infrastructure
Rangers are undefeated at .500 to keep World Series champs from a losing record with Bochy
European Parliament adopts new migration, asylum pact
Minnesota Uber and Lyft driver pay package beats deadline to win approval in Legislature
Hamas says UNSC resolution demanding Gaza truce shows Israel's isolation