Russian Journalist Faces New Sentence Amid Prison Abuse Claims

Maria Ponomarenko, a Russian journalist jailed for 'fake news' about the Ukraine war, faces an additional sentence for allegedly attacking prison staff. She denies the charges, reporting abuse in custody. Supporters fear for her safety. Pressure on journalists has increased since the war's onset.

Russian journalist Maria Ponomarenko, already imprisoned for disseminating "fake news" regarding the war in Ukraine, received an extended sentence on Thursday. She's accused of assaulting prison staff, though she denies the charges, according to her employer, Rusnews.

Ponomarenko, who has detailed experiences of violence and forcible drug injections while in detention, was sentenced to another year and ten months in jail. She has been subjected to psychiatric treatments, following her conviction for linking the Russian air force to a bombing in Mariupol.

Amnesty International labeled this bombing a war crime in 2022. Meanwhile, Russia has tightened its grip on journalists, with 44 currently detained, as reported by Reporters Without Borders.

(With inputs from agencies.)