A woman from the Moscow region has been sentenced to one and a half years in an open prison over charges of discrediting the army.

On 18 July, the Dmitrov City Court in Moscow Region sentenced local resident Alexandra Byzova to one year and six months in an open prison colony on charges of repeated “discrediting” of the army (Article 280.3 Part 1 of the Russian Criminal Code). This was reported to OVD-Info by the press service of the court.

The woman was also banned for two years from any activity connected to dissemination of information.

The case became known at the end of June, when the materials were submitted to the court. According to the court record, the case was considered in just one hearing.

The specifics of the charges against Byzova are unknown. The court declined to clarify the substance of the accusation.

In May last year, the same court fined the woman under administrative articles for insulting the state and authorities (Article 20.1 Part 3 of the Russian Administrative Offences Code) as well as for public actions aimed at “discrediting” the use of the Russian Armed Forces (Article 20.3.3 Part 1 of the Administrative Offences Code).

The first fine of 30,000 roubles (about US$325) was imposed on her for posts on VKontakte. According to the court, the Dmitrov resident published photos and videos insulting Vladimir Putin and Russian authorities.

In court, Alexandra Byzova pleaded guilty. She noted that since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, she “started to feel negative towards the current government and the President of the Russian Federation.”

“Moreover, personally towards the president <…> (the court redacted Putin’s full name here and below—Ed.) [she] feels hatred, as she believes it is he who is to blame for the war on the territory of Ukraine and for the deaths of soldiers and civilians,” the court ruling states.

Byzova also explained that on her VK page, she “covered socially and politically significant issues, as well as military-political matters,” posting news items which she supported with photos and videos.

“In the comments, she called on people in every way to protest against <…> (Vladimir Putin), against the special military operation, published videos and posts supporting Ukraine on her page in open access, as well as posts claiming that <…> (Vladimir Putin) ‘is killing civilians with the help of the Russian Armed Forces.’ In addition, some discussions took place under some of her posts—some users criticised her statements and asked her to edit or remove them, but she did not do so, as she believed herself to be entirely right and was expressing her opinion,” the document says.

A second fine, also for 30,000 roubles (about US$325), was imposed again for photos and videos posted on social media. In court, Alexandra Byzova agreed with the protocol but stated “that she does not believe her words in any way constitute discrediting the Russian Armed Forces.”