This story is rooted in one of the bloodiest episodes of the war associated with the actions of Russian forces in Mariupol — the destruction of a place where civilians sought refuge from relentless shelling.
The Mariupol Drama Theatre became a gathering place for people, including children, who hoped to survive in a devastated city. Many believed that a large public building sheltering hundreds of civilians would be one of the safest places in Mariupol. According to various accounts, up to several thousand people may have been inside or around the building. The word “CHILDREN” was written in huge letters outside the theatre, clearly visible from the air.
However, the exact opposite happened. A place where people sought safety from war became a place of mass death. People who gathered together for protection effectively became a highly visible target. What was supposed to save lives turned into a deadly trap. Instead of shelter, people found ruins beneath which civilians were buried, having come there with only one goal — to survive.
It was after reporting on this tragedy that journalist Maria Ponomarenko became the target of prosecution. She was one of the few who chose to speak publicly about what had happened despite the risks.
It is highly revealing whom the Russian system now considers its main enemies. Not those who possess weapons and power, but those who possess information and conscience. Increasingly, those behind bars are journalists who chose truth over fear, career opportunities, and personal safety.
The first criminal case against Maria Ponomarenko was opened under Russia’s law on so-called “fake news” about the army after her publications about the Mariupol tragedy. For reporting on events that many human rights defenders believe should have been the subject of an international investigation, she was sentenced to six years in prison.
But the persecution did not stop there. During her imprisonment, Ponomarenko repeatedly reported torture-like detention conditions, pressure from prison authorities, and abuse. It is also known that she attempted suicide several times while in custody, highlighting the severity of the conditions she endured.
Instead of investigating her allegations, authorities opened new criminal cases against her. Each new sentence was linked to accusations of “disrupting the operation of a correctional institution.”
Recently, the Rubtsovsk City Court of Altai Krai sentenced Maria Ponomarenko to an additional one year and ten months in prison. This is already the third criminal case against the journalist.
Today, Maria Ponomarenko has received her third prison sentence. Whether she will regain her freedom in the foreseeable future remains an open question. Judging by recent developments, even imprisonment has failed to silence her voice.
Source: Telegram channel “Politzek”
https://t.me/politzekinfo/9457