The prosecution has requested a six-year prison sentence for 68-year-old Russian pediatrician Nadezhda Buyanova on charges related to the dissemination of so-called "fake news" about the Russian military.
Buyanova, who has been in pretrial detention since her arrest in February, is accused of making defamatory statements about the Russian Army during a medical appointment.
The case against Buyanova was initiated after a complaint from Anastasia Akinshina, a Moscow mother who brought her 7-year-old son to the pediatrician for a checkup. During the appointment, Buyanova allegedly noticed that the child was acting nervous.
When Akinshina explained that her son was struggling with the trauma of losing his father, a Russian soldier killed in the war in Ukraine, Buyanova is said to have referred to the deceased father as a "legitimate military target" in front of the child.
This remark, according to Akinshina, prompted her to file a complaint with law enforcement.
SEE ALSO: The Big Chill: Critics Say Kremlin Waging A War On IdeasBuyanova denies making any such statement and insists that she did not discuss the military or the boy's father with Akinshina during the visit. The pediatrician maintains that she is the victim of a false accusation.
Buyanova's defense attorney, Oskar Cherdzhiyev, argued during hearing on November 8, that the pediatrician had committed no crime and that the case was based on slander and a deliberate fabrication.
Cherdzhiyev pointed out that he had been denied access to a search that was conducted at Buyanova's home during which law enforcement officials allegedly committed several procedural violations.
Cherdzhiyev also highlighted contradictions in the child's testimony. The defense attorney pointed out that he was too young to understand or articulate terms like "aggressor country," "legitimate target," or "special military operation" (the official Russian term for the invasion of Ukraine).
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The defense also raised questions about the credibility of the child's testimony, suggesting that it may have been influenced by external parties.
Buyanova was dismissed from her job following the complaint filed by Akinshina. She has consistently denied the allegations and has called for her reinstatement. A court ruled in her favor in July, demanding that she be reinstated to her position at the medical clinic.
The case has drawn attention from human rights groups and the media, particularly due to the growing number of legal actions under Russia's "fake news" law, which has been increasingly used to silence critics of the government and its military actions, especially those related to the war in Ukraine.
Critics argue that the law is part of a broader pattern of repression designed to stifle dissent and control public discourse regarding Russia's actions in Ukraine.
Buyanova's case has also sparked concerns about the politicization of health-care professionals, as the law appears to be increasingly weaponized against those who speak out against government policies or make statements deemed contrary to the state's official narrative.