Since the war in Ukraine broke out, more than 3,400 Russians have been convicted of violating the law that makes it illegal to “discredit” the Russian army.
The crimes can consist of everything from sharing posts on social media, writing quotation marks around the word “special operation” to wearing blue and yellow clothes.
Violation entails the risk of high fines or long sentences.
– This goes against both the Russian constitution and all international laws and regulations, says Daria Korolenko, at the organization OVD-Info, which works to help those arrested.