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. |
HK textbooks on territorial sovereignty should meet national standards: education association chiefDirect flight links China's Fuzhou with Seoul in ROKChina commits to establishing regionChina's loan prime rates remain unchangedQinghai province activates development potential via featured industriesAustralian freshwater crayfish bring fresh vitality to rural XinjiangWEF chair expresses confidence in Chinese economyInnovative farming fuels efficiency for 'new farmers' in E China's JiangxiHow China's rest stations for outdoor workers create prospects for new employment formsDirect route facilitates Chilean cherry imports for Chinese consumers