St. Petersburg hairdresser sentenced over army criticism
- I became the victim of a fabricated case, initiated to destroy me and my plot of land, - said Anna Aleksandrowa during the trial. The hairdresser from St. Petersburg was sentenced to five years and two months in a penal colony for "fakes about the Russian army."
It's no secret that critical comments about the army are punishable in Russia. Anna Aleksandrowa realized that even witness testimonies, which were in her favor in this situation, might not help her. And it all started with a conflict with a neighbor.
Russian woman hears sentence
VKontakte is a Russian social media platform. It was there that Anna Aleksandrowa allegedly posted content criticizing the Russian army. An investigation revealed that such content was indeed published from a work phone that was accessible to other employees as well. Moreover, the posts were also registered to completely different individuals. Nonetheless, in November 2023, the 47-year-old was placed in pre-trial detention.
According to Belsat, Aleksandrowa not only did not plead guilty but also emphasized that the whole case was revenge by her neighbor because she likely thwarted her neighbor's plans related to renting out a plot. Witnesses testifying in the case also held similar suspicions. However, the court concluded that the woman was guilty of the alleged acts. After leaving the penal colony, the hairdresser will not be able to publish anything online for three years.
- I became the victim of a fabricated case, initiated to destroy me and my plot, - said Aleksandrowa during the trial.
The fight for the environment
According to information presented by "Fakt," Anna Aleksandrowa was one of the people who opposed the cutting of trees in the Starogatyński Forest in 2022. Along with her, her neighbor, Irina Sergeyeva, who planned to lease a pasture located in that area, was also supposed to fight for the environment. The hairdresser suspected that Sergeyeva soon intended to sell the land, which Aleksandrowa managed to prevent.
The 47-year-old claims it was the neighbor who filed a complaint against her in revenge for preventing the lease of the plot, which resulted in her sentencing to a penal colony.
