PROKOPYEVSK, Russia -- The trial of a former correspondent for RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities project over social media posts he made saying Russian forces attacked civilian infrastructure in Ukraine has begun in Siberia.
Andrei Novashov faces charges of distributing false information about the Russian Army at the proceedings, which started on June 16 at the Rudnichny district court in the Siberian city of Prokopyevsk in the Kemerovo region.
The first witness prosecutors called upon said he reported Novashov to law enforcement over posts placed on the Vkontakte social network about Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Novashov's lawyer, Maria Yankina, told RFE/RL that the witness said he decided to report Novashov because his posts said that Russian forces bombed and shelled civil infrastructure in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, killing civilians. The posts, the witness said, contradicted official reports from Russia's Defense Ministry.
During cross examination, the defense team presented international writings that backed up Novashov's posts about Russian attacks on Mariupol. Yankina said the witness said he was "shocked" to see the evidence but did not elaborate.
The case against Novashov was launched in March. Since then, he has been not allowed to use the Internet, regular mail, attend public events, or use the telephone except to call relatives, his lawyer, the court, or emergency phone numbers.
Novashov was also barred from talking to journalists at RFE/RL's Russian Service, its Siberia.Realities project, and the Taiga-Info online newspaper, with which he has cooperated.
Yankina noted that the restrictions deprived her client of the ability to perform his professional activities.
Several days after launching his invasion of Ukraine on February 24, President Vladimir Putin signed into law legislation that calls for lengthy prison terms for distributing "deliberately false information" about Russian military operations as the Kremlin seeks to control the narrative about its war in Ukraine.
The law envisages sentences of up to 10 years in prison for individuals convicted of an offense, while the penalty for the distribution of "deliberately false information" about the Russian military that leads to "serious consequences" is 15 years in prison.
It also makes it illegal "to make calls against the use of Russian troops to protect the interests of Russia" or "for discrediting such use" with a possible penalty of up to three years in prison. The same provision applies to calls for sanctions against Russia.
Since early March, many journalists fled Russia after or before they faced such charges.