Russian Doctor Sentenced to Five Years Over Ukraine Remarks
Nadezhda Buyanova, a 68-year-old paediatrician from Moscow, has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in a penal colony after being convicted of spreading false information about the Russian armed forces. Her sentencing marks another chapter in Russia’s ongoing crackdown on dissent related to the war in Ukraine.
Before her verdict, Buyanova was led into the courtroom handcuffed and placed inside a glass and metal cage. Through the cage, she expressed her disbelief: “It’s absurd, just absurd. I can’t get my head around what’s happening to me. Perhaps later I’ll be able to,” she told a correspondent.
The case against Buyanova stemmed from allegations made by the mother of a 7-year-old boy she had treated. The mother claimed the doctor had made disparaging comments about her son’s father, a Russian soldier killed in Ukraine, and suggested that Russian servicemen were legitimate targets. However, Buyanova denies these allegations, and there is no concrete evidence, such as audio or video recordings, to substantiate the claim.
Arrested in February, Buyanova was initially placed under house arrest before being transferred to pre-trial detention. Her trial highlighted Russia’s stringent new laws designed to punish those who speak out against the war in Ukraine.
The court’s decision shocked supporters in the courtroom. “The sentence is monstrously harsh,” said Buyanova’s lawyer, Oskar Cherdzhiyev. “We didn’t expect this, even given what is happening today in Russia. Just a few words proved enough to put someone behind bars for such a long time.”
One of her supporters, Alina, spoke of the emotional toll, saying, “It’s very difficult to speak about this. We’re all in shock.”
The law under which Buyanova was convicted is part of a broader set of legislative measures in Russia aimed at silencing critics of the war in Ukraine. This case exemplifies how the ongoing conflict is also stifling internal opposition and press freedoms within Russia. Man Faces Murder Charge After Feeding Stepdaughter Acid
