The prosecutor is seeking a harsher sentence for a resident of Mirny, who was convicted in absentia over anti-war posts.

The prosecutor has demanded a harsher sentence for Arkhangelsk region resident Lidia Prudovskaya, who was fined in absentia 200,000 roubles (approx. US$2,200) in a repeat case of “discrediting” the army (Art. 280.3(1) of the Russian Criminal Code). Prudovskaya reported this on Facebook. Her post was noted by the outlet 7×7.

The state prosecutor is seeking a sentence of two years in a penal colony settlement for Prudovskaya, with a two-year ban on administering websites. This is the punishment the prosecutor requested even before the verdict of the trial court.

The case against Lidia Prudovskaya was launched nearly two years ago, triggered by several anti-war posts on VKontakte. She was also held administratively liable for “discrediting” (Art. 20.3.3 of the Administrative Offences Code), again over her posts about the war.

In July 2023, an investigator summoned Prudovskaya and her two children—at the time, they were nine and ten years old—for questioning. The children were interrogated as witnesses in their mother’s case.

Soon after, authorities imposed a travel ban on Prudovskaya. In March 2024, with the court already considering the case, Prudovskaya left Russia with her children. Afterwards, the court ordered her arrest in absentia and put her on the wanted list.

In April 2024, Prudovskaya was deprived of her parental rights in absentia over her now 12-year-old adopted son. The guardianship authorities terminated the arrangement unilaterally, citing that Prudovskaya had not informed them of the child’s new place of residence. Later, the Ministry of Internal Affairs put the 12-year-old on the wanted list.

• OVD-Info has covered in detail how Prudovskaya lived openly as an anti-war activist in a military town, how investigators questioned her children, and the family’s journey to France.