journalist Maria Ponomarenko
Siberian journalist Maria Ponomarenko, who was sentenced to six years in prison for her opposition to Russia’s war in Ukraine, has declared a hunger strike in protest, her publication and supporters have confirmed. Reuters report on the development.
The 46-year-old journalist was arrested in April 2022, less than two months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, for accusing the Russian military of bombing a theater in Mariupol. In February 2023, a court in her hometown of Barnaul found her guilty of spreading “false information” about the Russian army.
New Charges and Hunger Strike
Ponomarenko now faces new criminal charges for allegedly assaulting prison guards in the facility where she is serving her sentence, according to RusNews. The journalist declared a hunger strike after being placed in solitary confinement, which former Moscow city councilor Yulia Galyamina says resulted from fabricated reports by prison staff.
“Masha is in a very poor state. She was crying during the court hearing, feeling helpless, and even expressed a desire to take her own life,” Galyamina told Reuters.
Protests and Threats of Suicide
Ponomarenko has repeatedly protested against her prison conditions. During a previous court session, she threatened to cut her wrists in protest against the inhumane conditions in the detention center.
The journalist has also been diagnosed with claustrophobia and a “hysterical personality disorder,” which was documented during her arrest last year, according to “KommersantЪ.” Despite her deteriorating condition, the Russian penitentiary service has yet to respond to inquiries for comment.
