On Tuesday, Dr. Nadezhda Buyanova, a 68-year-old pediatrician, was found guilty of “spreading false information” about the Russian military and sentenced to five and a half years in prison in a Moscow courtroom.
What are The Charges against the doctor?
In February,Dr. Buyanova was accused by Anastasia Akinshina, the mother of a young patient, that the doctor has criticised the war in Ukraine while her child was getting a medical consultation.
Akinshina alleged that the doctor made strong remarks about her late husband, a Russian soldier killed in Ukraine, claiming he was a legitimate target for Kyiv’s troops and blaming Moscow for the ongoing conflict.
Following these allegations, Dr. Buyanova was arrested, first placed under house arrest, and then held in pre-trial detention.
Buyanova Denies Allegations, ‘Only A Monster’
In her defense, Buyanova vehemently denied making such statements. Her legal team also emphasized the lack of any concrete evidence against her- no audio or video recording.
Надежда Буянова не политик, не активистка. Это простой российский врач, честно выполнявший свою работу. Она лечила детей. Но сегодня государство, на благо которого она работала, плюнуло ей в лицо, осудив как преступницу. А тем временем реальные преступники выходят на свободу pic.twitter.com/fKxlt7bpDG
— Alipat Sultanbegova (@sultanbegova) November 12, 2024
The defense also argued that Akinshina’s accusations might just be a personal bias against Buyanova, who was born in western Ukraine.
Throughout the trial, Buyanova maintained her innocence, describing the accusations as deeply painful and beyond belief. “A doctor, especially a pediatrician, is not capable of wishing harm to a child, his mother, or traumatizing the child’s psyche,” she said in her final address to the court. She added, “Only a monster is capable of this – and of the words that I allegedly said to them.”
‘Monstrously Harsh’ Sentence, Claims Her lawyer
As the verdict was announced, Buyanova was locked inside a glass and metal cage, handcuffed and visibly emotional. Supporters in the courtroom expressed outrage over the sentence, with one exclaiming, “She’s been sent to a penal colony for five-and-a-half years!”
Russian doctor Nadezhda Buyanova has been sentenced to 5.5 yrs
She was accused of telling a patient that #Russia was ‘the aggressor’ in #Ukraine
That’s a fact. But the court decreed the doctor had ‘spread fakes’ about the war
She called it all ‘absurd’ but she’ll be locked up pic.twitter.com/yWeOtzKVX7
— Sarah Rainsford (@sarahrainsford) November 12, 2024
Her lawyer, Oskar Cherdzhiyev, described the sentence as “monstrously harsh,” especially given the limited evidence against her. “Just a few words proved enough to put someone behind bars for such a long time,” he commented, adding that the defense had not anticipated such a severe punishment even amid the current political climate.
Alina, one of Buyanova’s supporters in court, shared her distress at the outcome. “For me, it was important that Nadezhda saw that a lot of us came today,” she said. “We were all still hoping for a miracle – it would be just that little bit easier for her.”
Buyanova Convicted under ‘Controversial Law’
The law that Dr. Buyanova was convicted under, prohibiting the “spreading of false information” about the Russian military, was introduced in March 2022, following the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since then, these laws have been allegedly used extensively to suppress dissenting voices, particularly among those who challenge the government’s narrative on the war.
According to OVD-Info, a Russian rights group that monitors political arrests, over 1,000 people have been charged under these laws for speaking or acting out against the conflict in Ukraine.
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