Russian Court Sentences Theatre Figures to Six Years

Theater director Yevgenia Berkovich and playwright Svetlana Petriychuk were sentenced to six years in prison by a Russian military court for 'justifying terrorism' through their play 'Finist, the Brave Falcon'. The play, which won multiple awards including the Golden Mask, explores the stories of Russian women who travel to Syria to marry ISIS fighters. Despite their defense that the play serves as a cautionary tale against radicalization, the court ruled against them, raising concerns about freedom of expression in Russia. Critics argue that the prosecution is part of a broader Kremlin crackdown on dissent, exacerbated since the invasion of Ukraine. Their supporters have launched petitions and open letters in protest, and defense lawyers plan to appeal the verdict, though they have little hope for success.