Thinking I had stumbled onto some really good news out of Russia when I read the headline: Russia releases man whose daughter’s drawing opposed Ukraine fighting — I said a silent “Hallelujah!” and read on.

I should have known better.

Instead of celebrating a bit of happy news, I had to wonder why this was news at all. Because this man, Alexei Moskalyov, who had been sentenced to one year and ten months in prison, had just been released after serving twenty-two months.

For anyone who may have slept through first-grade arithmetic, or who simply hates math, let me save you the trouble: that’s one year and ten months. Moskalyov had served his full term.

So why on earth did his release make the news? Because the OVD-Info group, which monitors political detentions in Russia, reported a detail of his release that otherwise might have gone unnoticed.

But let’s begin at the beginning. Moskalyov’s conviction in March of 2023 was based on posts that he had made on a social media site. (The nature of the posts was not specified in the source article). These came to the attention of authorities after his daughter, then age 13, made a drawing in school that was in opposition to the war in Ukraine. [Associated Press, October 15, 2024.]

Under current Russian law, bad-mouthing the military, the war, or the government in general is a big no-no, at any age. I can only assume that someone — a teacher or fellow student, perhaps — reported the daughter, which led to an investigation of the father as well. Josef Stalin would have been so proud!

In any event, Moskalyov was tried, convicted and sentenced, but managed to flee . . . to Belarus. Big mistake! It may have been the easiest border for him to reach; but he really should have chosen an adjoining country that isn’t one of Putin’s puppet states.

So, one day later in Belarus, he was arrested and extradited to Russia, where he served his full term. Upon his release, he spoke with the people at OVD-Info.

And OVD-Info reports that Moskalyov told them that agents of the Federal Security Service (FSB, successor to the KGB) had questioned other inmates in his unit prior to his release, suggesting they were looking for cause to file new charges against him. [Id.]

And that, sadly, is neither surprising nor unusual. It has become quite common practice in the Russian judicial system to add further charges and additional years in prison to someone already incarcerated. Once on the authorities’ radar, you are fair game.

And those Russian authorities are well known for their long memories and short tempers.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/18/24