A single father has been jailed by a Russian court over social media posts criticising the invasion of Ukraine after his daughter drew an anti-war picture at school, SIA refers to foreign media.
Alexei Moskalyov has been sentenced to two years in prison after he was accused of repeatedly discrediting the Russian army, which is a criminal offence in accordance to a law Russian authorities adopted shortly after sending troops into Ukraine.
But the 54-year-old's whereabouts is unknown after he fled house arrest overnight from his apartment in Yefremov, about 300 kilometers south of Moscow.
Court officials said he had been wearing a bracelet that tracked his movements but apparently had taken it off.
The family said they had faced pressure from police since last April when his daughter, Maria, refused to participate in a patriotic class at her school and made several drawings showing rockets being fired at a family standing under a Ukrainian flag and another that said “Glory to Ukraine!”
The case has drawn international attention after school officials reportedly then summoned the police, who questioned the girl and threatened her father.
Moskalyov's teenage daughter, who has been taken from him by the authorities, wrote him a supportive letter for his trial from the orphanage where she is living.
According to his lawyer, part of the letter read: “Daddy, you’re my hero.”
Mr Moskalyov was indicted for a series of social media posts about Russian atrocities in Ukraine and referencing the “terrorist” regime in Moscow, that he insists he didn't make.
In April 2022, Moskalyov was fined for critical comments on social media.
His apartment was raided in December and a criminal case was opened against him this month. He was placed under house arrest and his daughter was placed into the orphanage.
The article of law on discrediting the Russian Army and spreading false information about it was urgently adopted by the parliament and signed by the president after the invasion of Ukraine in February.
Currently, Russian courts recognize any anti-war speech or reports of Russian troops' involvement in war crimes as defamatory.
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