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Producer who crashed Russian TV broadcast with antiwar message can’t be found, lawyers say

cigaretteman

HR King
May 29, 2001
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A day after she burst onto a live news broadcast on Russian state television holding a sign denouncing the war in Ukraine, lawyers with human rights groups told The Washington Post they are unable to locate producer Marina Ovsyannikova, more than 12 hours after she was detained.

The Russian Investigative Committee, the country’s main government investigative body, has begun “a pre-investigation check” against Ovsyannikova over allegations of breaking into the studio, Russia’s state-run Tass news agency reported Tuesday — which could be a first step toward eventual charges.
Citing an unidentified source, Tass reported that she could also face charges of “discrediting” the actions of Russia’s armed forces.

During a news briefing Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed Ovsyannikova’s actions as “hooliganism” and said the television channel, not the Kremlin, was “dealing with this.”
Employee bursts onto live Russian state TV to denounce war: ‘They are lying to you here’
Ovsyannikova appeared on the set of Russian state TV’s flagship Channel One evening news program Monday, chanting “Stop the war!” and denouncing government “propaganda” — a striking moment of public protest as the Kremlin cracks down on any criticism of its invasion of Ukraine.






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OVD-Info, a human rights group that tracks protest activity and detentions in Russia, identified her as an editor and producer with the broadcaster and said she has been detained. Ovsyannikova’s Instagram account also identifies her as a Channel One employee.

A spokeswoman for the United Nations’ human rights office, Ravina Shamdasani, told reporters in Geneva that Russian authorities should ensure that Ovsyannikova, “does not face any reprisals for exercising her right to freedom of expression.”

James Cleverly, a junior minister in Britain’s Foreign Office, told the BBC on Tuesday that the United Kingdom was “worried” for her safety.
“These acts of defiance within Russia … these are incredibly important,” he said. “It shows a huge degree of bravery for those individuals to protest in what is, we know, an oppressive authoritarian state.”


“It’s really important that the Russian people understand what is being done in their name,” Cleverly said.

The European Commission also said Tuesday that it applauds the “continued courage” of Russian citizens who oppose the Ukraine war. Spokesman Daniel Ferrie said more than 14,000 Russian citizens have been detained in over 140 cities across Russia for protesting the war in Ukraine.
Ferrie praised Ovsyannikova for her “brave moral stance” and said she has “disappeared” for daring to object.
“The state apparatus continues its oppression against the domestic opposition, against the domestic peace-loving population, denying them their basic rights and freedoms,” he added.



Woman prerecords anti-war message before storming set of Russian TV broadcast







Marina Ovsyannikova posted a video message to social media on March 14, calling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a "crime." (Marina Ovsyannikova)
Before storming the set of Channel One, Ovsyannikova recorded a video message in which she said her father is Ukrainian and her mother is Russian. She described the war in Ukraine as a “crime” and urged Russian people to publicly demonstrate.



“Unfortunately, I have been working at Channel One during recent years, working on Kremlin propaganda,” Ovsyannikova said. “And now I am very ashamed. I am ashamed that I’ve allowed the lies to be said on the TV screens. I am ashamed that I let the Russian people be zombified.”
Her personal protest was hailed around the world as a dangerous act of resistance.
Kira Yarmysh, a spokeswoman for jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, praised Ovsyannikova, sharing the video on her Twitter account. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky personally thanked “the woman who entered the Channel One studio” in one of his regular video updates to the nation, posted to Telegram.
Thousands of people demonstrating against the conflict have been arrested in Russia, according to OVD-Info, which says the invasion and its fallout have “irrevocably changed” Russian society.

 
Lake Baikal is over a mile deep. Sounds like maybe Hillary had dropped a few of those alleged suicide victims there as she has been banned by Russia from future suspicious Lake Biakal vacations. I think Marina sleeps there with the fishes and Vince Foster, et al...
 
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