Russian authorities have charged exiled feminist activist Zalina Marshenkulova with “justifying terrorism,” media reported Wednesday, citing anonymous law enforcement sources.
According to the Telegram news channel Astra, Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, opened a criminal case over a post on Marshenkulova’s Telegram channel about the killing of pro-war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky.
In the post, dated April 3, 2023, the activist wrote that expressing condolences over Tatarsky’s death is “hypocritical.”
“Tatarsky clearly and openly said ‘We’ll kill everyone.’ Well, there you have it. He reaped what he sowed,” Marshenkulova wrote.
“So this hypocritical ‘Let’s have pity on the murderer who called for killing’ is disgusting. Thanks to these kinds of bastards, a lot of people have already died in Ukraine, including children.”
Citing an anonymous law enforcement source, the state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported that Marshenkulova is believed to currently reside in Germany. She could face up to seven years in prison if found guilty of justifying terrorism.
Marshenkulova denounced the reported criminal case against her, calling it “absolutely surreal and outrageous,” but said that her lawyers have not yet been informed about it.
“Of course, I’m not surprised, though we shouldn’t stop being surprised that all those who disagree with the war are now accused of ‘justifying terrorism’,” she wrote on her Telegram channel.