Russia declares foreign agent status for journalist who protested the war on a news program

The Ministry of Justice of Russia included journalist Marina Ovsyannikova on its list of "foreign agents" this Friday. She is known for interrupting the main news program on Russian public television in March 2022 with anti-war proclamations. Besides Ovsyánnikova, three other people were declared "foreign agents" today, including a film director and a former municipal deputy. According to the authorities, they all spread false information about the policies of the Russian government and spoke out against the Russian military operation in Ukraine. Ovsyannikova, a former editor at Channel 1, interrupted the live broadcast of the evening news program Vremia on March 14, 2022, making proclamations and holding up a sign against the Russian military offensive in Ukraine. "No to war. End the war. Do not believe the propaganda. They are lying to you here. Russians against the war," said the sign. On that occasion, Ovsyannikova was already fined 30,000 rubles ($500), in addition to losing her job. You may be interested in: Cuba predicts its maximum blackouts for this Friday with 58% of the country in the dark Later, the journalist refused to retract despite the new fine and called the accusations against her "fabricated." The woman left Russia in October 2022 and a year later was sentenced in absentia to 8.5 years in prison for spreading "false information" about the actions of the Russian Army.