Russia sentences artist Alexandra Skochilenko to 7 years in prison over Ukraine supermarket protest

Russia on Thursday (Nov 16) sentenced artist Alexandra Skochilenko to seven years imprisonment "for disseminating false information" about the army after she changed supermarket price tags with slogans denouncing Russia's military offensive in Ukraine.

As per news agency AFP, Skochilenko's backers, opposing judge Oksana Demiasheva's verdict, yelled "shame" and "we're with you Sasha" in the courtroom, voicing support for her.

Skochilenko, 33, is the latest among hundreds of Russians who have either been detained, imprisoned or fined for criticising Puin's large-scale Ukraine intervention.

In her final statement, Skochilenko told the judge that she was a pacifist who valued human life above everything else.

"Whatever decision you take, you'll go down in history," Skochilenko told the judge, according to a recording of her speech made by supporters.

"You can show how to resolve conflict with the help of words and compassion."

"Every person in this room wants only one thing: Peace. Why fight?" she said in a statement.

'You're judging a pacifist,' says Skochilenko

Skochilenko, in the court, admitted to having changed the tags, but saidthe text written on them was false.

"How weak is our prosecutor's faith in our state and society if he thinks our statehood and public safety can be ruined by five little pieces of paper?" she said.

"Everyone sees and knows that you are not judging a terrorist. You're not trying an extremist. You're not even trying a political activist. You're judging a pacifist," she added.

Skochilenko, as per news agency AFP, suffers from health issues like coeliac disease and a congenital heart defect.

An illustrator and musician, Skochilenko was detained in April 2022, which was around the same time as Russia's fierce blockade of Ukraine's port city of Mariupol.

Skochilenko, who is openly gay, has also said that "hatred towards minorities" in deeply conservative Russia could help explain the trial against her.

She had joined street protests in Russia in the first days of Moscow's offensive.

(With inputs from agencies)