A Russian state television employee has been fined 30,000 roubles, roughly $280, after holding up a sign on-air protesting the war in Ukraine.
Politico reported Marina Ovsyannikova, an editor at the Kremlin-backed Channel One, may still face jail. On Monday, she stood behind a host holding a sign that stated, “No war. Stop war, don’t believe in propaganda, they’re lying to you here. Russians against war.”
After being released, Ovsyannikova said, “I thank everyone for their support.”
The editor explained to reporters police questioned her for more than 14 hours, she was not allowed to speak to relatives and could not consult a lawyer.
“These were really very difficult days in my life because I spent literally two days without sleep,” Ovsyannikova said.
In case you missed it:
Marina Ovsyannikova, an editor at a TV channel in Russia, interrupted a live broadcast with a sign that read “NO WAR. Stop the war. Don't believe the propaganda. They're lying to you here.” She has since been detained. This is an act of incredible courage. pic.twitter.com/BOJ70m2ztv
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) March 14, 2022
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called her actions “hooliganism.”
CNN reported OVD-Info also obtained a video Ovsyannikova allegedly made before she interrupted the broadcast.
“What is happening now in Ukraine is a crime, and Russia is the aggressor country, and the responsibility for this aggression lies on the conscience of only one person. This man is Vladimir Putin,” she said in the video.
Ovsyannikova added, “Unfortunately, for the past few years, I have been working on Channel One and doing Kremlin propaganda, and now I am very ashamed of it. It’s a shame that I allowed to speak lies from the TV screens, ashamed that I allowed to zombify Russian people.”
She continued, “I am ashamed that we kept silent in 2014, when all this was just beginning. We didn’t go to rallies when the Kremlin poisoned Navalny, we just silently watched this anti-human regime, and now the world has turned its back on us forever, and another ten generations of our descendants will not be able to wash away from the shame of this fraternal war.”
Ovsyannikova urged people to “go to the rallies and do not be afraid! They can’t transplant us all!”