Russian authorities open felony ‘justifying terrorism’ case against Doxa news editor Maria Menshikova
The Russian authorities have opened a felony case against Maria Menshikova, the head of the news department of the independent student media outlet Doxa, on charges that she publicly called for terrorism, the Telegram channel Baza reported on Friday.
A source familiar with case materials confirmed the news to the outlet Current Time.
According to both Baza and Current Time, the pretext for the case was a post on Doxa’s page on the Russian social media platform VKontakte in which the outlet suggested that readers write letters in support of Russians who are in prison for setting fire to military enlistment offices. Investigators have concluded that the post contained “signs of justification of terrorism” and “incitement to terrorist activists,” according to the reports.
“In a fascist regime, everything is upside down: war is peace and freedom is slavery. And the main threat to fascists is the solidarity of people who care, which is now being equated with ‘terrorism,’” Menshikova, who is currently in Germany, said of the case against her.
Menshikova could face up to five years in prison if she returns to Russia.
