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A TV presenter and actress in Moscow received a 50,000-ruble ($560) fine from a court for hosting an “almost naked” party and later posting on social media calling for peace, which was deemed to discredit the military.
Anastasia Ivleeva stirred controversy in Russia with her risqué party in December, where guests were encouraged to wear minimal clothing.
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Despite not appearing in court for the non-criminal case, Ivleeva was fined for two social media posts made at the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The posts advocated for peace and negotiations but were found to violate a law against discrediting the military, even though the law was enacted after the posts were made.
One of the Instagram posts, featuring a black square with “No to war,” and another showing a dove sketch urging authorities to seek compromises to end bloodshed, led to the legal action.
Instagram is blocked in Russia, but many users access it through VPN services.
Following Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022, the country clamped down on any dissent against what it terms a “special military operation.” Notably, opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza received a severe sentence of 25 years in prison for delivering a speech in the United States condemning the war.
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Oleg Orlov, co-chair of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization Memorial, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for criticism of the war. Orlov separately has been designated a “foreign agent” and was to appeal that ruling in a Thursday court hearing by videolink, but the hearing was held in a courtroom without that capability, the Mediazona news site reported.
Ivleeva became the focus of a scandal after hosting a bash at a Moscow nightclub whose invitations stated the dress code as “almost naked.” A well-known rapper showed up wearing only socks wrapped around his genitals and feet.
Photos from the party circulated widely on social media. Conservative legislators, bloggers and others then unleashed a storm of criticism, contending the images were unseemly, even unpatriotic, for a country embroiled in war.
